Curse of the Mistletoe COMPLETE!
by Hedw1g
Summary: Dumbledore has installed mischivious mistletoe around Hogwarts at Christmas..and it's cursed and out to get everyone! will anyone escape it's clutches, or will they succumb to it's demands?
1. Default Chapter

MISTLETOE

It was the most horrific thing that Headmaster Dumbledore had ever done to the Students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Even Professor Severus Snape had though it an eensy bit too cruel, and that was saying something, considering that his favorite pastime was to bully and generally make the lives of the students as miserable as possible.

Mistletoe. A harmless little plant, you think to yourself. What harm could a little sprig of mistletoe do to anyone?

When teamed with magic, the innocent little plant can fast become a thing of evil, offensive to behold.

Such was the case at Hogwarts.

Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore had thought it fun and festive to put a sprig of the offending stuff in doorways, classrooms, stairways, secret passageways and practically every nook and cranny of Hogwarts. The students at first, thought this was nice and sweet, and were compelled to carry out the tradition of kissing whomever you happened to be walking underneath it with.

This appeared to be no problem for everyone, however, that didn't last long.

Rumor had begun to spread throughout the school that the Mistletoe was cursed or jinxed, for two hapless students had refused the tradition when they wandered beneath the mistletoe without thinking of the consequences. These two students were an asset to research, ones Ronald Weasley of Gryffindor house and Pansy Parkinson of Slytherin House. They had discovered that should you refuse the traditional kiss, well, that was just too bad. The mistletoe, it seemed, did not appreciate refusal of any kind, and Ron and Pansy found this out in a very frightening and disturbing way.

They had wandered through the doorway to the Great Hall at dinner at precisely the same time. Not intentional at all, I assure you.

"MISTLETOE!" Someone shrieked, pointing at the green plant with white buds above the heads of the two unfortunate students.

Ron and Pansy looked up and snorted.

"I'd rather kiss a toilet seat!" Ron had remarked, thoroughly disgusted.

"The feeling is mutual!" Pansy agreed haughtily.

And the two went their separate ways. But they didn't get far. As soon as they had left the archway, some strong invisible force pulled them back beneath it. Not quite realizing what was happening, the two tried to part ways again, and again they were pulled back under the mistletoe.

"HEY!" Ron said in anger. "What gives!"

Well, as you can probably guess, they found out that the mistletoe was the culprit, and Pansy started shrieking in horror and Ron was yelling furiously about human rights.

They had caused a blockage now, and students were crowded at the entranceway trying to see what the holdup was.

The students at the front of the crowd looked on in bewilderment. By now, the students that were already in the great hall had noticed the commotion and had come over to investigate.

"What's going on?" Blaise Zambini, a Slytherin demanded.

"We are stuck!" Ron replied, straining against the spell.

"Stuck?" Blaise snorted.

"Yes, Stuck!" Ron repeated, getting frustrated.

"It won't let us walk through!" Pansy cried.

"Perhaps if we pulled them through, they might get loose." A Gryffindor by the name of Seamus Finnigan from the crowd trying to get into the great hall suggested.

"Worth a try I suppose." Blaise reasoned.

And so they all began a tug-o-war. The Gryffindors, starting with Harry Potter, who held Ron'd hands, Hermione Granger, holding onto Harry's waist, and Ginny Weasley holding onto her waist and so on until all the Gryffindors there had formed a large conga line.

On the other side of the door, the Slytherins in the hall had done the same, with Blaise Zambini holding onto Pansy's hands, and Draco Malfoy behind him, Crabbe and Goyle behind Malfoy and so on until they too had formed a line.

"Okay, on the count of three," Seamus shouted so everyone could hear. "One…two….three..PULL!"

All at once, everyone started pulling as hard as they could.

"Put your backs into it!" Blaise yelled, pulling as hard as he could, but not feeling much support from behind.

Behind him, he felt Malfoy yanking and pulling as hard as he could, and it was helping a little, but it was still not enough.

"Is everyone doing their best Malfoy?" Blaise asked the blonde Slytherin behind him.

Malfoy turned his head to check and stopped pulling. "No."

Blaise turned his head to see what the problem was and rolled his eyes.

Crabbe and Goyle, who were supposed to be pulling with Malfoy, were standing looking stupidly around them and picking their noses.

"CRABBE, GOYLE!" Malfoy barked. "You are supposed to be pulling!"

"Oh, sorry Draco!" The two boys said stupidly.  
Malfoy was miffed. "Chimps! I am working with chimps!" He stated. He then began the task of instructing the two with what they were supposed to do.

Once the problem with teamwork on the Slytherin side had been rectified, they began their pulling again.

On the Gryffindor side, they had no such problems, but Ron hadn't budged.

"It's no use Harry!" Ron bleated woefully "My arms are going to pop out if we pull anymore!"

"No," Harry grunted, red in the face from his efforts "not giving up!"

Harry and his fellow Gryffindors pulled even harder, grunting, groaning and straining backs, shoulders and arms.

"Harry, my hands are slipping!" Ron called out. But it was too late.

Harry's hand's slipped out of Ron's and he and the Gryffindors tumbled backwards, like human dominos.

Yells of pain, surprise and defeat erupted from Ron's housemates as they landed on their rears and backs in each other's laps.

Oddly, and rather creepily, the same thing had happened to the Slytherins. Pansy shouted that her hands were suddenly slick and blaise lost his grip, sending the Slytherins into the same end as the Gryffindors.

Draco Malfoy landed with a grunt on his rear, the wind knocked out of him by Blaise landing on him.

Ron and Pansy looked down at their hands and frowned. They were covered in a thin layer of soap, making their hands incredibly slick.

They looked at each other, eyes wide and woeful.

"Where did this come from!" Ron asked fearfully.

A soft chuckle came from the Slytherin side of the Great hall, and all turned to see Dumbledore standing with an amused smile on his face.

"My, my, what teamwork!" he mused.

The students were silent, staring at the Headmaster in shock. Was he not disturbed by this?

"Are any of you injured?" he asked cheerfully "I imagine a few of you have bruised bottoms and backs." He added with a chuckle.

There were a few grunts and groans and 'what a stupid question!' comments from both teams in response to his question.

"Then I suggest that those of you who are injured or in pain, go to the hospital wing and Madame pomfrey will attend to you, those of you who are not, just walk through the doorway one at a time please."

The teams separated, those hurt went through the doorway, squeezing past Ron and Pansy who were still trapped, and headed for the hospital wing, while the rest, entered the great hall one at a time.

When the crowd had dispersed, Dumbledore approached Ron and Pansy

"Help Headmaster!" Ron wailed.

Dumbledor held up a hand to silence the two distressed students.

"Now, now, the solution to your problem is simple!" the old man chuckled, his eyes twinking. "You must follow tradition!"

"WHAT! NO WAY!" Ron bellowed.

Pansy was in hysterics by now.

Dumbledore shrugged "Then you will stay there."

Pansy and Ron looked at each other. Neither of them wanted to be stuck there forever. It was a no brainer really. They would just have to do it.

Ron winced and Pansy looked like she would throw up but they inched closer.

Dumbledore watched in amusement, his eyes sparkling.

One quick peck and the ordeal was over.

Wiping their mouths, and spluttering, the two traumatized students emerged from their prison and walked shakily to their house tables.

Harry awaited Ron at the Gryffindor table and looked happy to see him finally free.

"Did Dumbledore get you out?" Harry asked.

"No." Ron said miserably.

"What? Then how are you out?" Harry asked, wondering why Dumbledore had not freed them.

"He said that we had to follow tradition, if we didn't we'd be stuck there!" Ron explained.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Harry wondered.

Ron shrugged. "Dunno, he wouldn't explain it. That's all he said and then Pansy and me had to kiss."

Harry opened his mouth to protest but Ron cut him off.

"It was that or be stuck there with her forever!"

Harry closed his mouth and gave his friend a sympathetic look.

"Where's Mione?" Ron asked, wanting to change the subject.

"She went to the hospital wing, I landed on her and heard something crack, think it was her rib."

Ron winced. "Anyone else?"

"Neville, Seamus, Ginny and I think Colin Creevey went too." Harry said.

In the hospital wing, Madame Pomfrey was bustling about tending to the wounded soldiers.

Hermione was wimpering in pain as she waited her turn to be healed. Her shoulder was in agony. Beside her, Seamus and Neville and Colin were wincing in pain also, while Ginny was having her fractured wrist healed by Madame Pomfrey.

"Stop that infernal wimpering Granger!" a cold voice snapped irritably.

"Leave her alone Malfoy!" Seamus said sharply "She's hurt and in a lot of pain!"

"Aren't we all?" Malfoy drawled, hobbling closer with great pain and diffuculty. He was bent over double and was holding a hand to his lower back, apparently unable to straighten up.

"What happened to you?" Hermione had meant to ask scathingly, but it came out as more of a whimper as she turned to see him.

"I landed on Crabbe's knee, right in the middle of my lower back." Malfoy surprisingly told her "heard something crack, felt blinding hot pain, thought I'd better get it checked out."

The Gryffindors figured that Malfoy must have been in too much pain to be nasty and mean, so they just nodded.

"Do you mind Granger?" Malfoy asked, wincing as he grasped her shoulder for support, leaning most of his right side on it.

Hermione screamed with pain and Malfoy, shocked, let go as though he had been burned, causing him to overbalance and topple backward.

Luckily, or maybe not so, Seamus caught him before he hit the floor.

His back being snapped back, Malfoy roared like a wounded animal.

Seamus merely winced as his injured bottom was twinged in his effort to hold Malfoy off the ground. He hadn't intentionally caught him, it was more of a reflex action.

Hermione was wimpering and tears were streaming down her face. The pain was now unbearable, but she soldiered on and moved to help Seamus with getting Malfoy back on his feet and into a more comfortable position.

Using her good shoulder and arm, she linked it with one of Malfoy's and Seamus did the same with his other arm, using his leg to support Malfoy's back.

Malfoy was wailing in pain, his teeth clenched and his eyes squeezed shut.

With one swift pull, and a loud yelp of pain from Malfoy, Hermione and Seamus managed to get Malfoy back into the position he had previously been in.

His breathing labored, Malfoy looked up at Hermione and Seamus with pain clouded eyes. "Why did you do that!"

"Do what?" Seamus shrugged.

"Why did you help me?" Malfoy asked quietly. "You could have just let me fall!"

"We are Gryffindor's Malfoy, it's not in our nature to be evil." Hermione explained, her voice wavering tearfully, her shoulder hurt so bad!

Malfoy regained his composure. His encounter with immense pain had brought his guard down temporarily and now it was back up.

"More fool you!" he sneered.

Hermione was in too much pain to argue with him. She shook her head and turned away from him, carefully.

"Just think, all this over a stupid sprig of Mistletoe!" Seamus said bitterly. "I never want to look at that plant again!"

"You have no option, we have Herbology tomorrow morning, studying the magical properties of Mistletoe!" Neville piped up.

"Not to mention the fact that it's scattered everywhere around the school!" Hermione pointed out miserably.

"I wonder what it was that caused Ron and Pansy to get stuck!" Seamus wondered aloud.

Hermione was glad to have something to think about to take her mind off of the pain in her shoulder.

Frowning in concentration, the three Gryffindors thought long and hard, trying to figure out what it could possibly have been.

Malfoy watched them, scowling, but they ignored him.

The minutes ticked by in silence as they thought.

Finally, Malfoy got bored enough to enlighten them. "You aren't terribly smart when you are in pain are you?" He sneered "Isn't it obvious?"

Three pairs of eyes turned to him.

"What are you talking about Malfoy?" Seamus demanded suspiciously.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "The old coot has jinxed the mistltoe!"

He gave them a few minutes to let it sink in.

"No way!" Hermione finally piped up with "Dumbledore would never force us to kiss if we didn't want to!" she decided.

"Yeah? You want to take a look at what happened to Weasley and Parkinson, Granger!" Malfoy said as-a-matter-of-factly. "Bloody plant wouldn't let them go until they submitted!"

"You think he could be right?" Seamus checked with Hermione and Neville.

Neville shrugged. "It's possible I suppose. Mistletoe generally doesn't have that effect on people. Muggles use it all the time at Christmas."

Hermione nodded, confirming this. "That's true. But why would Dumbledore do that to us? It's too mean!"

"Naïve aren't you Granger!" Malfoy said, smirking.

"What's that supposed to mean!" Seamus said, his eyes glinting in warning.

Malfoy smirked some more. "It means, you fool, that Dumbledore isn't all she thinks he is!"

"If you are trying to say that Dumbledore is really evil, think again Malfoy. That will never happen!" Hermione said, getting heated up. How dare he say that about Dumbledore!

"I didn't necessarily imply that he is evil, Granger, I merely said that there's a part of him that you don't know, and he's using it, right now." Malfoy said in a 'ghost telling' type voice.

Neville was spooked. "What if he's right?" he squeaked. "What if Dumbledore really is using mistletoe as a plan to take us all down!"

"Oh for goodness sake!" Hermione snapped. "This is ridiculous! I won't believe that Dumbledore is hatching an evil scheme until I see it with my own two eyes!"

"Suit yourself Granger." Malfoy said nonchalantly, "But I think he's trying to kill us with our own kisses!" he added dramatically.

Neville whimpered. "What do you mean?"

Thoroughly enjoying himself, Malfoy hobbled closer to Neville and spoke in low whispering and creepy tones, for emphasis.

"Just wait and see. It started out innocently enough, oh yes…but now…" Malfoy paused to shake his head sadly "Now it won't let us go, once we are beneath the evil cursed plant, it has us! Not letting us go until we do it's bidding!"

Neville whimpered fearfully and grasped Seamus' arm for support.

Hermione rolled her eyes. This was stupid.

"And soon," Malfoy continued "it won't just want us to kiss! Soon, it will force us to create a new generation…a generation of halfbloods! It's Dumbledore's sneaky way of eradicating all of the purebloods at Hogwarts, when we die, there won't be any left, and the old loon will finally have what he's always wanted! And just remember, it all started with a simple kiss."

By now, Neville was shaking visibly and looking pleadingly at Seamus. "I don't want to k…kiss anyone!" he whimpered.

Malfoy smirked, his aim at terrifying Neville had been successful. His triumph was short lived however, when Hermione brought reason back to him.

"Neville, don't listen to Malfoy, he's lying. It's all utter nonsense, Dumbledore would never do such a thing." She said soothingly.

Malfoy had to nip this one in the bud before she ruined his work. He hobbled close to her, so close that she had to lean away so that his nose wouldn't touch hers.

"Just think, Granger," he said softly "what would you do if you get caught under there with…Professor Snape?"

Hermione gasped as the disturbing image came to her mind. But Malfoy didn't stop there. He began to circle her, it was difficult, but he managed. He had a mission after all.

"What if Dumbledore sneakily puts a sprig of mistletoe in the potions classroom? You won't know until it's too late, will you?" He leaned in close to her ear, his breath tickling it. "You'll be trapped! Trapped with Snape, until you realize that the only way out….is to kiss him…perhaps more!"

Hermione gasped again and covered her ears, ignoring the searing pain in her shoulder as she did so. "NOOOOO!" She cried, losing all grip on reality.

Malfoy smirked, very pleased with his work. Gryffindor's were so easy to torment.

Thankfully, Madame Pomfrey heard Hermione screaming and came rushing over to her to see what the matter was.

"Dear girl, surely you are not hurt that bad!" The nurse hushed as she ushered Hermione to a bed and made her sit down.

"Image…wont...leave…my…head!" Hermione muttered, rocking back and forth. "Snape…Malfoy…said…kiss…".

Madame Pomfrey looked worried and quickly retrieved a calming draft, giving it to Hermione to drink.

"I told Dumbledore that the mistletoe was a bad idea, but would he listen?" The nurse fretted as Hermione drank the potion.

Then Madam Pomfrey set about healing. "Now, where are you hurt dear?"

"My shoulder." Hermione replied, feeling the effects of the potion calming her down and ruining all of Malfoy's hard work.

But Malfoy didn't mind, he would get her again, now that he knew what her biggest fear was.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for all your reviews on this one. It was literally something that popped into my head and felt I wanted to write, so I did. **

HD4evva: **Thanks for the review and the headsup! I corrected the spelling, so now I know!**

Nova-Janna: **No need to worry, no Snape and Hermione here. This will be a Draco/Hermione fic. Promise.**

Bea: **Ah, now there's an idea! I might just do that!**

Key of F Major: **Not sure what you mean by Collaberate, but...I dunno, whaddaya mean?**

**Sorry, couldn't answer them all, gotta go write the next chappie, so here's this one in the meantime!**

**Curse of the Mistletoe**

Chapter 2 

It took a few hours for Madame Pomfrey to heal all of the wounded students, Malfoy had taken a particularly long time as he had fussed about and squirmed around and made such a fuss that eventually, she had to have two students come and hold him down on the bed so she could mend his two cracked vertebrae.

Hermione, Neville and Seamus had stuck around to watch with pleasure as Malfoy got healed. To see him in pain and prolonging it with his stupidity was too good to pass up!

As soon as he was healed, he was released.

Malfoy shot up off of the bed, rounded on the chuckling nurse and her helpers and yelled at them, his face practically purple with rage.

"HOW DARE YOU!" He yelled, fists balled at his sides, leaning forward to better fuel his yelling. "HOW DARE YOU TREAT ME LIKE THAT! WAIT UNTIL MY FATHER HEARS ABOUT THIS! THAT WAS ABUSE! ABUSE I TELL YOU!"

Madame Pomfrey laughed louder. "I'll have you know Mr Malfoy, that I had to hold your father down when he broke his leg playing quidditch when he attended this school. I'm beginning to wonder if the Malfoy men just can't take pain!"

Malfoy stopped in mid rant, one finger in the air, snarled and stormed out of the infirmary without a word.

The nurse chuckled again and got to her feet. "You three had better get to dinner, it's almost over!" She told the three amused Gryffindors.

The three Gryffindor's practically ran all the way to the great hall and Sat down beside Harry and Ron. Ginny was there too, having left as soon as she was healed.

"What was wrong with the three of you?" Harry asked.

"Well, my shoulder was dislocated." Hermione answered.

"My backside was bruised!" Seamus piped up.

"Mine too!" Neville agreed.

"Malfoy was there too!" Hermione said as she loaded some steak pie onto her plate.

Harry and Ron looked pleased.

"Was he hurt bad?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Yes, his two of his vertebrae were cracked, he couldn't straighten up, he was hobbling around like an old man!" Hermione told them happily.

"That didn't stop him from terrifying us though with his suspicions!" Neville said nervously.

Suddenly, Hermione remembered what Malfoy had said to her regarding Snape, and she glanced over at the teacher's table, where Snape was eating his coconut cream pie, and she shuddered.

"What did he say this time?" Ron asked, rolling his eyes.

Neville told them about Malfoy saying that he thought Dumbledore was responsible for the whole Mistletoe thing, and that he suspected it was jinxed or cursed, and everything else Malfoy had suggested regarding the mistletoe, and Dumbledore's 'evil' plan to eradicate all of the purebloods.

Harry and Ron laughed.

"That's a good idea, but I don't think Dumbledore would to that. But the jinxing thing might be true." Ron said, remembering his ordeal with Pansy.

"He also scared the magic out of Hermione!" Seamus said testily. "Madame Pomfrey had to give her a calming draught!"

Harry's eyes narrowed. "What did he say to you Mione?"

Hermione didn't reply immediately. She stared at her steak pie for a minute before raising her eyes to her friend's.

"He wondered what I would do if I got trapped under the mistletoe with Professor Snape." She said quietly.

Harry and Ron gasped in horror but were quick to comfort her.

"There there, Mione!" Ron said soothingly, patting her hand.

"Yeah, Mione! Don't worry!" Harry said comfortingly "We won't let that happen!"

Hermione smiled at her two best friends. They were truly wonderful!

"We'll help too!" Seamus said putting a hand on her shoulder.

Neville nodded, confirming Seamus's offer.

"Thanks guys!" Hermione said feeling better about it. With four Gryffindor boys watching her back, the chances of getting caught beneath the mistletoe with Snape were slim to none!

The next day saw jumpy students avoiding the mistletoe any way they could, trying to make sure that they weren't walking beneath it with someone they didn't want to kiss and even trying to blast it away, but the spells just bounced off of the plant.

"Look at it!" Seamus said, glaring at the plant he had just tried to blast away "sitting up there all smug!"

Harry nodded and looked around before running through the doorway to the charms class to avoid getting caught beneath it with Lavender Brown. Seamus followed, dodging around the mistletoe, lest he have to kiss Millicent Bullstrode.

Charms went by without a hitch, although Ron never did get the disappearing charm right. When he had tried to make Harry disappear, he did a pretty good job, except that Malfoy had pointed out that "I can still see his stupid eyes!" and so Professor Flitwick had not given him full marks because. Then he took off more points when they discovered that Harry was still inivisable and no matter how they tried, they couldn't make him reappear! Professor Flitwick told him that the charm would wear off by the end of the day and gave Harry a note that he was to give to all of his professors that day.

Ron, Harry and Seamus exited the charms class, waiting for all the girls to go through first so that they wouldn't have to kiss anyone.

"This misletoe thing is getting tedious!" Seamus declared as they walked to Potions.

"That reminds me," said Harry from somewhere beside Ron "We have to find Mione before she gets there so we can make sure Malfoy doesn't try to get her underneath the friggin' plant with Snape!"

Ron nodded and they began to run towards the dungeons.

Harry startled several students as he ran, they ran into him, bumping into some unseen object and screamed when all they saw was a pair of eyes scowling at them.

Five minutes later, they arrived in the dungeons, slightly out of breath.

Much of the class had not arrived yet, but a few were there.

Hermione of course was there, trying to resist the urge to slap Malfoy as he tormented her as usual. Crabbe and Goyle were standing behind Malfoy, picking their noses (again) and Blaise zabini was leaning against the wall looking bored.

Harry, Ron and Seamus hurried over and grabbed Hermione and pulled her away from Malfoy, glaring at him.

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Malfoy snapped "Can't anyone even talk to your precious mudblood now?"

"Of course they can! It's just that Mione doesn't talk to animals, and with you being a ferret and all…well, y'know." Ron replied venomously.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked looking around.

Ron blushed and suddenly found his shoes very interesting and Seamus grinned.

"I'm here Hermione." Harry's voice said by her ear.

Hermione jumped with fright "Why are you wearing the invisibility cloak?" she hissed.

"I'm not wearing the invisibility cloak, Ron did this!" Harry's voice replied. "Look to your right."

Hermione turned to look to her right and let out a small scream of fright as Harry's eyes hovered in front of her.

"Ron!" Hermione cried in despair "You killed Harry! All he has left are his eyes!"

"I didn't kill him, Mione!" Ron interjected "I made him disappear, only the charm went wrong and he did disappear, just except his eyes!"

Hermione put out a hand to feel around and was relieved to feel Harry's shoulder and chest quite solid against her hand.

"Will it wear off?" she asked sympathetically.

"Yeah, Professor Flitwick says it should wear off by the end of the day." Harry replied.

"What about your classes? How will the professors know you are there?" Hermione asked.

"Flitwick gave me a note that I have to give to all of them." Harry replied.

"Snape no doubt will dock points." Hermione muttered bitterly.

Ron scowled and nodded in agreement.

"You are all early!" a voice said coldly.

"Speak of the devil!" Harry muttered to his friends.

Snape threw the potions room door open and stalked inside.

"There's no pleasing that man!" Ron said as they shuffled into the room, dodging the mistletoe as they went.

"While we wait for the rest of the class, you can all help me prepare for the class." Snape instructed, pointing to a pile of cauldrons in the back corner and all the other potions equipment.

Reluctantly, the seven students obeyed and set the cauldrons on the tables and put the burners underneath each one.

Hermione put up her hand.

"Yes Miss Granger, what is it?" Snape said wearily.

"I was wondering, Professor, if you would like us to set out the ingredients of the potion on each desk, that way perhaps, Neville wouldn't have too much trouble this lesson." Hermione said quietly.

Everyone looked at her as if she had grown horns.

Snape didn't reply immediately, he looked thoughtful before answering. "Yes, you may go ahead and do that. I don't feel much like escorting the entire class to the hospital wing today."

Everyone groaned and scowled at Hermione.

"Thanks Granger!" Blaise said sarcastically "I just love extra work!"

Malfoy pushed past her roughly, making sure his shoulder bumped into hers hard.

Ron shook his head in disappointment. "Mione, you're killing us here!"

Hermione shrugged and smiled cheerfully…until Malfoy turned and made kissing noises, pointing up and grinning evilly.

Looking up, Hermione saw a sprig of the offending plant above her and Snape was not far away.

She hastily jumped out of the way.

Malfoy smirked, apparently she was still jumpy about his suggestions.

Harry took his note to Snape, who seemed surprised at it suddenly appeared out of thin air. He spotted Harry's eyes hovering and when Harry explained that Ron's charm had gone wrong, didn't seem so surprised after all. And Hermione was right about Snape taking points from Gryffindor for terrible spell work that made his job harder seeing as he couldn't quite tell where Harry was in the room and therefore made it more difficult to punish him.

Gradually, the rest of the class arrived and they settled into the regular routine.

Snape put the instructions to the potion on the board and sat down to mark papers while the class did its thing.

All was nice and quiet for the first half hour or so. The only sound was the potions bubbling softly and the occasional whispering between partners with regards to ingredients and timing.

Suddenly, there was a piercing scream that made Snape jump and consequently drew a big line over the paper he was marking with his quill.

He looked up angrily to see Lavender Brown sobbing hysterically next to a confused Crabbe.

"What is going on!" Snape demanded.

"Brown and Crabbe walked under the mistletoe at the same time Professor." Malfoy said, trying not to laugh.

Snape rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"Then I suggest they just get it over with!" Snape said tiredly. He really hated that stupid plant. He had tried to remove it from his classroom, but it wouldn't budge, and he found that if he did manage it, more would sprout and he would have twice as much as he did before, so he thought it best to leave it alone.

Lavender cried louder. "I don't want to kiss Crabbe!" She said scandalously, pointing accusingly at Crabbe.

"Miss Brown, I suggest you just do it and that way, you won't be standing there forever. None of us are too fond of the ruddy things, but for now, we will just have to put up with it." Snape said firmly, standing up in annoyance. "Now get on with it both of you!"

Crabbe suddenly leaned in and kissed Lavender on the lips and she slapped him in response before scurrying off back to her desk in tears.

"It's alright for you isn't it Professor!" Lavender shrieked hysterically and pointing accusingly at Snape. "You haven't had to kiss anyone yet! Especially someone you wouldn't want to kiss in a million years!"

"20 points from Gryffindor for your attitude, Miss Brown!" Snape snapped, as he sat huffily down at his desk again.

Hermione tugged on Lavender's sleeve. "Please, Lavender, Don't make such a fuss or Professor Snape will take more points!" She whispered to the sobbing girl as soothingly as she could.

Snape snorted. "I see for once that something Miss Granger said can be of some benefit to us all. You would do well, Miss Brown, to heed her."

Lavender swallowed a cutting remark for Snape, and sat down at her desk with whatever dignity she had left, vowing revenge. "Just you wait, Professor Snape, just you wait!" she muttered.

Harry went back to making his potion, which looked weird because all you could see were the potions ingredients floating in mid air and dispersing themselves into the cauldron.

"Sounds like Lavender wants revenge on Snape!" Harry hissed into Hermione's ear, making her jump with fright.

"Harry!" She whispered, her hand on her heart. "Can't you let me know you are there before you speak! You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry!" Harry said apologetically, although he was grinning. He looked at his potion and realized that it wasn't the right colour. He was about to raise his hand, but then realized that Snape wouldn't see him, so he made his way up to Snape's desk, where the professor sat, marking papers.

When Harry was right at his side, he spoke. "Professor?"

The sight that followed would be one that none of the students present would ever forget.

Snape gasped, jumped in fright then fell off of his chair with a tremendous yelp of pain and fright, sending ink and papers flying into the air as his desk was overturned, right on top of Draco Malfoy, who's desk was directly in front of Professor Snape's, and showering him with ink and parchment and quills, not to mention the odd potion or two.

A stunned silence followed as the class took in what had happened.

Snape was lying spread-eagled on the floor, his chair overturned beside him, his desk was atop Draco, whos head was sticking out from beneath it, a scared and pained expression on his face and ink dotting his face and hair.

Harry stood staring in shock at the scene he had caused. "Woops!" he said.

"POTTER!" Snape bellowed, sitting up and snarling in rage.

"Somebody get this desk off of me!" Malfoy wailed, pushing feebly at the desk. "I can't breath!"

Hermione's head was the first to clear and she stood up quickly and took out her wand, pointing it at the desk

"Wingardium Leviosa!" She commanded.

The desk crushing Malfoy rose into the air and Hermione set it up straight to its original position in front of the class.

Snape got to his feet and, shaking with fury, threw out his hands and felt around. "Where are you Potter!" he snarled "When I get my hands on you…"

Harry had moved to the back of the classroom and watched with amusement as Snape groped around for him at the front.

Hermione put her wand away and stared down at Malfoy as he coughed and spluttered on the floor at her feet, getting his breath back.

"Are you okay?" she asked reluctantly, not very sure why she had been the one to rescue him in the first place, her feet just sort of carried her there!

Malfoy scowled up at her. "What took you so long, Granger?" he said testily "I almost died!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head in annoyance. "A simple 'thank you Hermione' would suffice!" she snapped "Or have you no manners?"

Malfoy's scowl faltered and he began sputtering in indignation at her suggestion.

"I will have you know, Granger, that my manners, as a pureblood, far surpass yours!" He said smugly.

"Is that why 'thank you' isn't in your vocabulary?" Hermione demanded.

"It is in my vocabulary, I just won't waste it on you!" Malfoy retorted, standing up.

Hermione wanted so badly to slap the living magic out of Malfoy at that point, and she would have too if Ron hadn't of come over and dragged her back to her desk.

"Just look at him, the smarmy little git!" She snarled as Ron drug her along. "Ooooh, I just want to smack him sensless!"

"You mean you don't think someone already did?" Ron quipped, smiling. "He doesn't seem like he has much sense, Y'know?"

Hermione smiled at her friend. Ron was always able to cheer her up.

Snape by now had realized that Harry wasn't in his immediate vicinity and was glaring suspiciously around the classroom.

"Come out come out wherever you are Potter!" He said dangerously.

Harry bit his lip to keep from Laughing as he sat at his desk.

Ron sat down next to him and knew that Harry was there, but pretended to be taking notes, also trying not to laugh.

Meanwhile, Malfoy and Hermione had a glaring match from their respective desks. After a few minutes of not blinking, Hermione decided it was a silly thing to be doing and looked away.

"HA! I won!" Malfoy declared, smirking a huge smirk, such as the world had never seen.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Whatever Malfoy, whatever." She said in a bored tone.

Malfoy, still smirking turned back to face the potions master who's dark eyes were still sweeping the room for any trace of Potter.

"Professor?" Malfoy asked jovially. "Perhaps Potter is at his desk sir!"

Snape's eyes flicked to Malfoy and he nodded, before sweeping down the aisle and stopping at Ron.

"Where is he, Mr Weasley?" Snape asked, his voice dangerously soft.

Ron shrugged. "Dunno, I can't see him!"

"You know that I know that you know where he is, now…tell me or you shall suffer my wrath!" Snape said in the same dangerously soft voice.

Harry, thinking it better to own up than let Ron get punished on his behalf stepped forward and spoke.

"I'm here Professor."

Snape's eyes looked around the area where Harry's voice had come from and spotted two Green eyes gazing at him.

Fumbling around, Snape finally got a hold of Harry and yanked him forward. "Ooohh you're going to pay!" He growled, malice in his coal black eyes.

Harry gulped. This was the angriest he had seen Snape, and it wasn't comforting being the one the anger was directed at.

Snape pulled his wand from his robes and aimed it right between Harry's eyes, which widened.

"NO!" Hermione shouted as Snape began an incantation. She shot out of her seat and threw herself into Snape, knocking him sideways, he lost his grasp on Harry and he stumbled backwards, grabbing at the air as he tried to keep his balance.

Hermione was close by and he attempted to grab her robes to stop himself from falling but she wasn't close enough.

Malfoy, ever the helpful one, but having a more sinister plan, shoved Hermione towards Snape so that Snape could reach what he was grabbing for to stop himself from falling and it worked.

Snape grabbed a hold of Hermione's robes and she was pulled forward as Snape stumbled back.

Luckily, he didn't fall so there were no embarrassing or traumatizing situations such as Snape landing on top of Hermione or vice versa.

As soon as he had regained his balance, Snape yanked Hermione to him and snarled.

"You little Witch!" he spat "How dare you get in the way of Potters punishment!"

"You were going to hex him!" Hermione cried angrily "I saw it in your eyes, you were going to harm him! I was not about to let that happen!"

Snape shook Hermione hard "You stupid girl!" he spat "You bloody Gryffindors and your bravery! It's not bravery at all! It's stupidity, now you have gotten yourself into trouble! Now both you and Mr Potter will be punished!"

"Let me go!" Hermione cried as Snape's grasp on her upper arms became stronger and it was beginning to hurt.

Meanwhile, Malfoy was laughing so hard, he had to sit down.

Lavender and Seamus found this very rude and irritating.

"What are you laughing at Malfoy!" Lavender demanded "Look at Hermione, she's – "

"Yes!" Malfoy interrupted, gasping for breath as he laughed "Yes just look at her!" He pointed to Hermione and Snape, laughing harder.

By now, Snape and Hermione had noticed Malfoy laughing and were staring at him in bewilderment.

Lavender looked at the two and shook her head in bewilderment before her eyes found the source of Malfoy's amusement.

"Oh Hermione!" Lavender gasped, her hands going up to her face in horror. "Oh poor, poor Hermione!"

The rest of the class cottoned on too and the Gryffindors gasped and had the same reaction as Lavender did.

The Slytherins however, found it very amusing and were laughing and pointing.

Still bewildered, Hermione and Snape looked down at their robes and checked themselves but nothing was different, so they resorted to looking around themselves.

They both looked up at the same time and gasped in united horror.

Hanging above them innocently was a sprig of mistletoe that Snape could swear hadn't been there before.

Hermione took a deep breath, opened her mouth and screamed bloody murder.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Okay, here's the next chappie. I am not happy with this chapter in the least bit, but it will have to do I suppose. Snape is a little ooc but please just work with me here. I assure you it's not going to be a snape/hermione fic. it is going to bea Malfoy/Hermione fic, I promise. This just had to happen though, I had to figure a way to get Hermione to compliment, yet tear down malfoy and this was the only way I could think of. So pardon Snape being not quite himself for a moment. As always, thank you all for your reviews. They mean so much to me! Hugs all**

Chapter 3

Everyone covered their ears to block out the anguished screams of Hermione. It really sounded as though someone was trying to murder her!

Malfoy was covering his ears too but he was smirking like mad as well. This made the Gryffindors suspicious.

"He had something to do with this, I know it!" Ron said to Harry, pointing at Malfoy.

Snape recovered and realized that Hermione was screaming like a madwoman. This irritated him to no end.

He grabbed her and shook her again, but she just kept screaming.

"Miss Granger!" Snape shouted at her over her screaming "Miss Granger, STOP THAT THIS INSTANT!" he roared, but that didn't stop her either.

Suddenly, he did something that shocked everyone, even Malfoy.

Snape slapped Hermione soundly across the face "GET A GRIP WOMAN!" he shouted.

Hermione had been so shocked by the slap she had received that she had stopped screaming abruptly and had raised a small and shaky hand to her stinging cheek.

There was a stunned silence until Malfoy broke it.

"You…you hit her!" he said, his voice almost a whisper. "You hit her!"

"I had to, Mr Malfoy, she wasn't thinking straight, she was too far gone and needed to be brought back to reality." Snape said looking sympathetically at Malfoy.

Snape knew the boy's reasons for being so shocked and horrified at what he had just witnessed. Lucius Malfoy wasn't exactly the most loving of husbands when he got angry with his wife and as a little boy, Draco had witnessed his father's wrath and it still disturbed him even now to see a woman getting struck.

Malfoy nodded numbly and stared at Hermione who was recovering and getting her thoughts straightened out.

"Sorry Professor, I just lost it for a moment." Hermione said calmly and with dignity.

Snape nodded. There was no point in being angry, not in this situation. A level head was required.

"M…maybe it doesn't work on Professors and students!" Hermione said hopefully.

She turned and started to walk away from Professor Snape. It appeared to be working…until she was suddenly thrown back and was right back where she started.

Hermione looked at Snape, her bottom lip trembling and then promptly burst into tears, her face in her hands.

Malfoy had recovered from his getting disturbed and was back to smirking. It always cheered him up to see a Gryffindor getting their hopes crushed.

"There there, Miss Granger." Snape said uncomfortably. "It is unfortunate that we happen to be in this situation, but we are both reasonable and intelligent people, and therefore we both know that there is only one option for us as long as we are beneath this accursed plant." Snape said reasonably. Inside however, Snape was livid. How dare this measly plant force him to kiss a student! And not just any student, no, it had to be Hermione Granger, the freakin' Gryffindor Princess! He'd never live this down!

"Now, Miss Granger, lets get this over with!" He said firmly, turning to her.

Hermione's eyes widened in horror. "You aren't serious Professor!" she said in disbelief.

Snape sighed and shifted uncomfortably. "Of course I am! You know it's the only way we can get free!"

"But I CAN'T!" Hermione cried

"Why not?" Snape demanded. He wanted to live the rest of his life, preferably out from under this confounded mistletoe!

Hermione couldn't believe he'd even asked that. "Because it's…it's YOU!" she cried, as if it should have been the most obvious thing in the world to him.

"Me?" Snape echoed. "What's wrong with that?" Snape demanded huffily, folding his arms over his chest.

"You're Snape! Snape! SNAPE!" Hermione replied exasperatedly.

"Yes…I gathered that, it's nice that you know who I am, but what is your point Miss Granger?" Snape drawled, knowing exactly what she was getting at, but his manly pride wouldn't take it too well.

Hermione sighed. It was time to be brutal, otherwise, they'd be here forever just trying to get the message to him.

"You are Snape, I am Hermione. I cannot kiss you, because…you aren't my type!" She explained, as though talking to a very young child and not strong enough to tell it to him straight.

"Not your type?" Snape echoed again, feining bewilderment.

"No, you are not my type. I have absolutely no desire to kiss you or even be in your presence!" Hermione snapped, getting miffed. "I mean, you aren't exactly every girls dream man are you!"

Snape winced. Oooh, that one hurt the ol' pride there, and it showed.

"And why, may I ask, not?" Snape said, his voice betraying his cool exterior.

Hermione saw hurt in Snape's eyes and felt a pang of guilt. Perhaps she was too brutal.

"Because you are you. You are Professor Snape!" Hermione answered beseechingly looking around at everyone…anyone for some help in explaining this to him!

"And you're the greasy potions master whom we have all come to fear and loath." Ron put in helpfully.

"None of us can imagine you being romantically involved or even remotely affectionate towards any girl. You are Professor Snape, and kissing just doesn't seem to fit with you!" Lavender piped up.

Snape was silent as various students pointed out why Hermione wouldn't want to kiss him. Everything from his teeth to his shoes was criticized! His manly pride was wounded, but he stood, arms folded and a calm expression on his face and soldiered on.

"And, what, pray tell, is every girls dream?" Snape enquired.

"Well…" Hermione said looking around for an example. "It varies. Each girl has different taste in what she wants in a man. For example, Lavender here, likes Seamus because she thinks his face is cute."

Lavender nodded, confirming this.

"And…a lot of girls in this school really like…" Hermione cringed before saying it "Malfoy here."

Several girls in the room blushed and Pansy blew Malfoy a kiss. Malfoy smirked and winked at the girls who nearly fainted.

"But," Hermione continued "Several girls in the school like Harry too,"

Snape raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"he has that whole hero thing and those eyes that make you melt and stuff." Hermione explained nonchalantly with a wave of her hand.

"And what," asked Snape eyeing Draco as the young Slytherin preened in front of the girls, "does young Malfoy have that I don't?"

Hermione, ever the honest one, turned to look at Malfoy, who momentarily stopped his preening and gazed at her, deliberately looking alluring to catch her off guard.

It worked, somewhat. But only because Hermione had let her guard down so she could give the Professor her honest opinion.

She never thought she'd see the day when she would be comparing Professor Snape and Malfoy in a 'who's the cutest and most desireable out of the two' type thing.

"Well, for starters," she told the Professor "his hair is soft, silky and well groomed."

It was harder to compliment Malfoy than she thought it would be. This was excruciating!

Miserably she went on. "His skin is a little pale, it's true, but it does give him a certain angelic quality,"

Malfoy was loving this. Not only was he getting all his good points pointed out, he was also making Granger suffer at the same time.

Snape listened quietly, taking it all in. It wasn't like him at all to stand for this, and he'd never thought he would be standing here asking Hermione what girls wanted in a man, but his pride had been wounded and he was rather vunerable now, and besides, it was rather amusing to watch her squirm as she had to compliment Malfoy.

"He's well Mannered, most of the time, with the right people," Hermione went on "he's well built, he is perfectly proportioned, he has strong features, he's rich and his eyes…" she sighed, rolling her eyes "his eyes are deep and expressive, they lure you in and hold you captive, if you let them!" she finished reluctantly.

Behind them, Ron was gaping, and if you could see him, Harry was too.

Malfoy was preening again and smirking at Hermione. So his charms had worked on her! And all this time he had thought that she wasn't swayed by them. HA! Oh this was too good!

Snape was very amused, but hurt at the same time. It was true, Malfoy did possess the qualities she had mentioned, but surely there was some flaw in him if the girl couldn't stand him!

"So, he has no faults?" Snape questioned "He's absolutely perfect in every way?"

"Yes!" the girls in the class chorused.

Hermione was waiting for this question eagerly, as it would ease her discomfort.

Snape and the class observed the cunning smile that spread across her face and waited for her response.

"No." came her simple reply.

The girls all gasped and Malfoy stopped preening to look questioningly at her.

"What's wrong with him!" Pansy demanded. "He's everything every girl wants!"

As Pansy was asking this, Hermione was wondering how in the world they ever got onto this conversation and why the heck Snape was joining in. It was surreal, but she figured that it was probably because Snape, like her, was trying to put off the inevitable, so she answered the question.

"Not every girl." Hermione said carefully "He's not what I want."

"WHY?" Came every girl's question.

Hermione smiled, in her element.

"Because, he's the most selfish, brass necked, dumb swaggering peacock I've ever met!" She said triumphantly.

Ron sniggered. Harry sighed with relief. For a while there, it seemed that Hermione was confessing her undying attraction for Malfoy, but now, what she was saying made everything okay again.

Malfoy's jaw dropped and he gaped at her in disbelief. "How dare you!" he cried indignantly. "How dare you say that about me! I am a Malfoy! Nobody talks about a Malfoy like that!" He ranted.

Snape let a small smile creep onto his face. He figured he was going to put it off as long as he could.

Hermione's peaceful smile remained on her face as Malfoy ranted and raved at her, gesticulating wildly in his indignant state.

When he paused for breath, she interrupted.

"See? Now add pompous, arrogant and pure evil and what do you get? Draco Malfoy!" she said as though bringing a conclusion to the end of her lesson.

The Gryffindor boys burst out laughing and clapping, and the Slytherin boys wanted to laugh, but dared not to.

Malfoy's mouth opened and closed in his apparent indignation.

"You still have to kiss Professor Snape!" Malfoy yelled, trying to remind her of her misery.

And it worked. Her spirits had dropped into her shoes once more and she glared at him. "That's true, but I remind you, Malfoy, no-one is safe from this Mistletoe, you yourself may just find yourself beneath it with someone you would hate to even think about kissing."

Malfoy snorted. "Yeah, like that will ever happen. You see, Granger, unlike you, I'm not stupid enough to be caught underneath it with someone I'd hate to kiss!" he declared triumphantly.

Snape was getting bored and irritated again and besides, he'd had quite enough of being insulted!

"I'm still here you know!" he reminded them all testily.

"You know, Malfoy," Hermione said glaring at him "nasty people such as yourself always get their comeuppance."

Malfoy snorted again, not believing her.

Hermione leaned in closer to him for emphasis. "Always." She finished.

This seemed to unnerve him slightly, she saw a flicker of doubt pass across his eyes but he recovered quickly.

"Better get on with it Granger, or you'll be here all day and miss transfiguration." Malfoy pointed out smugly.

This kissing Snape thing was going to be priceless!

At the mention of missing the rest of her classes, Hermione became fretful. She just couldn't miss her classes! Not a single one of them! It was simply not an option. But on the other hand, she'd have to kiss Snape, and unless she wanted to be scarred for life, that wasn't an option either!  
Snape watched her carefully while she fought the battle raging within. He didn't care either way, he could always obliviate everyone's memory of the encounter and nobody would be the worse for wear. He just wanted to get it over with and live the rest of his life in relative peace…he was going to kill Dumbledore for this!

Finally losing his patience with the girl, he growled, and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and spun her around to face him.

Before she could scream or even register what he was doing, he swooped down and kissed her quickly on the lips and practically threw her away from him.

Ron and Harry caught her and Ron fussed over her in concern.

"Mione! Mione talk to us!" he said worriedly.

Hermione had just registered what had happened and looked like she wanted to throw up. "I can't believe Snape just did that." She said in shock. "My lips!" she cried "I have to live with these lips for the rest of my life!" She began rubbing her lips furiously with the sleeve of her robes.

Ron patted her back comfortingly and she could feel Harry stroking her hair.

"Think how Professor Snape must feel!" Malfoy said gesturing to the now extremely well miffed Snape, who was sitting at his desk avoiding Hermione's eyes.

"Having to kiss a mudblood like you!" Malfoy added.

"This was all your fault!" Ron jumped in with. "You're the one who pushed Hermione towards him and under that stupid mistletoe!"

Malfoy blanched. Bugger! Ron had seen him! He looked at Snape who was staring at him, clearly not wanting to believe Ron's accusation.

"Mr Malfoy?" Snape said questioningly.

A guilty look crossed Malfoy's face. He couldn't lie to his Godfather. "I just wanted to stop you from falling!" he said. It wasn't entirely a lie, that was partly the reason.

Snape didn't believe him, it was obvious.

Sighing wearily, Snape stood and took out his wand and looked at Malfoy.

"I'll deal with you later." He told the boy in a voice only Malfoy could hear.

"Everyone look this way." He commanded. And the class all turned to look at him.

"Obliviate!" snape said loudly and a white light engulfed the class.

When it was gone, everyone was staring at Snape, wondering why they were all gathered around the mistletoe.

"Back to your seats everyone, and clean up. I'm ending this lesson early." Snape told them.

Hermione shook her head to clear it, wondering why Ron was patting her back and Harry stroking her hair. They too wondered why they were doing it, so they stopped and shrugged.

Everyone did as they were told, none the worse for wear and having no memory of what they had witnessed.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Okay, here's another chapter. I've introduced a new character in this chapter. Any questions, feel free to ask!**

Chapter 4

Leaving potions, Harry, Ron and Hermione walked along in a daze, all wearing confused expressions.

Behind them, Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy walked along in much the same condition, all the way up from the dungeons and up into the main entrance hall, where they all went their separate ways.

Harry and Ron had Divination with Professor Trelawney, whereas Malfoy and Hermione had Arithmancy.

Crabbe and Goyle had to ask Malfoy what class they had next, because they simply didn't know.

Hermione walked along, trying to ignore Malfoy who was walking alongside her.

They walked along in silence as they passed other students hurrying to their classes.

Malfoy didn't like silence, it bothered him to no end. It was too uncomfortable. He glanced over at Hermione and frowned.

"Granger, why do you walk like that?" He asked.

Hermione sighed. She knew he couldn't just leave her in peace.

"Like what?" she snapped.

"Like a duck footed hunchback?" Malfoy said scathingly.

"Well it's better than the way you walk!" Hermione shot back.

"How do I walk?" Malfoy asked.

"Like you have an iron rod stuck up your arse!" Hermione replied.

Malfoy's jaw opened and closed and he spluttered in indignation. "I'll have you know Granger, that I was raised to sit up straight and walk the same! But only upper class people are taught that sort of thing. You wouldn't know anything about that, being a mudblood and all." he said nonchalantly.

"And I will have you know, Malfoy, that my family is in the upper class range and I was taught to walk properly." Hermione said stiffly "The only difference is that my family are muggles, and yours aren't."

Malfoy was mildly surprised. He had always thought that she had better manners than Potter and Weasley, but dismissed it for her being a girl.

"Well that is a pretty big difference Granger!" Malfoy snorted. "In the wizarding world, being a mudblood puts you in the lower classes."

"Look Malfoy," Hermione snapped, spinning around to face him "Why don't you just t-"

Suddenly, Malfoy was thrown forward and he fell into Hermione, sending them both sprawling onto the ground.

Hermione gasped and winced as her lower back connected with solid stone. "Malfoy! Get off me!" she hissed, struggling to sit up. "What are you doing!"?

"Someone pushed me!" Malfoy said, disgruntled as he scrambled to get up, but failed as his robes were tangled around his feet and legs.

Suddenly, the sound of snickering was heard behind them.

Hermione peered over Malfoy's shoulder as he was still struggling to get up, to see who was laughing.

She had never seen the boy before. He was tall, looked to be in 7th year and according to his robes, they were in Ravenclaw.

"Can't you keep that for private time?" the boy asked Malfoy in a jeering manner.

Malfoy, still tangled in his robes and on top of Hermione, turned his head to see them and scowled. "And what, may I ask, are you implying exactly?" he demanded.

"Not all of us want to see you get some action in the middle of the school corridors y'know!" Said the boy. He was tall with hair so black, it was almost blue, and his eyes, a deep blue were full of malice as he gazed at Malfoy.

"Excuse me, but…who are you?" Hermione asked curiously, wincing as Malfoy's knee dug into her thigh in his attempt to figure out where his robes were tangled up.

"I don't believe I've ever seen you before." Hermione added.

The boy's blue eyes shifted from Malfoy to her. He stared for a moment, a long calculating stare as though he had just noticed her, before his eyes softened.

"My name is Lucas Goldwater." The boy replied stooping to offer his hand to Hermione to shake "And you are?"

"Hermione Granger." Hermione replied, blushing as Lucas kissed her hand.

"Hello Hermione, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Lucas said charmingly.

Malfoy snorted, glaring at the new boy.

"Allow me to be of assistance." Lucas told Hermione. He 'assisted' by way of shoving Malfoy roughly off of Hermione, sending the Slytherin rolling a few times, but he didn't get too far as Hermione was sitting on his robes.

"Thank you!" Hermione said gratefully. Malfoy was surprisingly heavy, for a seeker.

Lucas helped Hermione to her feet and checked her for injuries. Finding none, he returned to the conversation.

"Your name is familiar. You don't per chance know Viktor Krum do you?" Lucas asked.

"Why yes I do as it happens!" Hermione replied. "Do you know him too?"

"Yes." Lucas replied "By way of Viktor, news of your beauty and good heart is known throughout Durmstrang." He said charmingly, kissing her hand once again.

Hermione blushed again. "Well I wouldn't say I have any beauty…"

"Oh I disagree!" Lucas said smoothly.

"Granger! Get your big mudblood foot off of my Armani robes!" Malfoy growled, tugging at his robes. He was not used to such rough treatment.

Without looking away from Lucas, Hermione lifted her foot and, caught off guard by the sudden give of his robes, Malfoy fell over backwards, landing painfully on his rear.

"Durmstrang?" Hermione echoed. "You come from durmstrang?"

"Yes, I just transferred from Durmstrang this morning." Lucas replied as-a-matter-of-factly.

Hermione smiled warmly. "Well, welcome to Hogwarts!"

"Why thank you, Hermione." Lucas said giving her a dashing smile that was reminiscent to Gilderoy Lockhart's.

By now, Malfoy had picked himself up off the ground and was stalking towards Hermione and Lucas, furious.

He grabbed Hermione's arm and spun her around. "Granger, stop flirting, you'll scar the man for life. We are going to be late for class!"

Hermione turned to Lucas again and smiled sweetly as Malfoy continued to pull on her arm.

"You'll have to excuse him," she said apologetically. "He's a little touched in the head."

Malfoy momentarily stopped tugging at her arm to give her an evil glare of Malfoy vengeance.

"Move it Granger!" he growled as he yanked on her arm, dragging him with him. "I'm not going to cover for you!"

"I'll see you around?" Lucas called as she was dragged away.

"Yes, most likely!" Hermione called back.

When they were a good distance down the corridor, Malfoy began muttering incoherently.

"Stupid new boy." He muttered. "I'll teach him to push me around!"

Hermione wasn't listening. She was walking along with a dreamy expression on her face, barely noticing Malfoy's presence.

"Yes," she sighed "Isn't he wonderful?"

Malfoy snorted. "No! If you want my honest opinion, I think he's the biggest idiot I've ever met…not including Potter of course…and you!"

They turned a corner and headed up another set of stairs.

"Honestly Granger!" Malfoy snorted again in disbelief as Hermione sighed dreamily and leaned against the banister of the staircase as it began to move.

"I wonder how old he is." Hermione said thoughtfully.

Malfoy shook his head, a disgusted look on his face as he dodged around a sprig of ominous looking mistletoe as Hermione walked under it.

"Now look here Granger, get a hold of yourself! You are beginning to get on my nerves with all your fawning and cooing over the imbecile!." Malfoy stated firmly.

"I've never seen anyone like him! He's so handsome!" Hermione sighed blissfully.

"That's your opinion!" Malfoy huffed as they began climbing up another staircase.

"Oh and the way he kissed my hand!" She said dreamily "Did you see? It was so romantic!"

Malfoy shuddered. "Okay, I think it's time we got you an anti-love potion from Professor Snape!"

Hermione frowned, only hearing the last part. "Eeew! Professor Snape isn't handsome! Not at all! And I don't want a love potion!" she said huffily, then went back to looking dreamy.

Malfoy raised a confused eyebrow. "ANTI-love potion, Granger, Anti-love potion. And I didn't say anything about Snape being handsome!" he corrected, feeling somewhat disturbed.

"Yeah, I'm gonna get you that anti-love potion, I can't torment you effectively when your heads in the proverbial clouds. It's no fun!" Malfoy decided.

This really was bad for him. One of his favorite pastimes (tormenting Granger) was in danger. He wasn't about to let that happen! What would he do to amuse himself during Arithmancy and in the corridors? And this Lucas guy, just who did he think he was anyway, waltzing into Hogwarts and upsetting Draco's routine? Not to mention the fact that Malfoy had to admit that he was just an eensy bit jealous of the new boy. New boys always got the girls' attention, and that would make Malfoy miffed, as he had always been labeled 'the hottest guy at Hogwarts' by the girls. And now Lucas even had Granger fawning over him. It was unacceptable!

Draco had only ever seen her do that over one other man, and that man was Lockhart. Not that he cared of course, but no…he would have to nip this one in the bud, just for good measure.

"Yes, Malfoy," Hermione sighed dreamily, "Whatever you say."

Malfoy gave her a shocked look but didn't have time to say anything because they had arrived at the Arithmancy classroom.

Hermione didn't do as well as she normally did in Arithmansy, her mind kept wandering to Lucas Goldwater. She didn't know why she liked him, she just did. When she though of him, her heart missed a beat and her mind would drift blissfully away. She liked this new feeling!

Malfoy scowled even more and threw his quill at her like a dart when the professor asked her a question and hadn't responded.

This only momentarily worked. As soon as she had answered the question, she went back to daydreaming.

Malfoy frowned, his stormy gray eyes narrowed in suspicion. Something wasn't quite right here.

"Granger," he asked Hermione after he had caught up with her in the corridor heading to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Hmm?" she answered absently.

"You obviously like this Lucas guy, right? Well what do you know about him?" Malfoy asked seriously. He was going to get to the bottom of this mystery.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"I mean, what do you know about him? You only met him an hour ago and look at you!" Malfoy replied shaking his head in disgust. "You're fawning all over him and you've got a goofy dreamy expression on your face and don't think I didn't see you writing his name inside little hearts on your parchment instead of the notes you were supposed to be taking!"

Hermione blushed and giggled.

Malfoy was shocked! Hermione Granger had giggled at something he had said! This was not normal!

"Yes." She smiled. "I admit it!"

"Okay, fine, but I think something is going on with him. Something weird!" Malfoy said firmly.

"Don't be stupid Malfoy!" Hermione suddenly said sharply.

"No, Seriously, Granger, something is going on that isn't right. He's done something to you!" Malfoy said lowering his voice.

"And why would you care!" she said sharply, "Why would you care if he had done something to me!"

"AH! So he has done something to you! What did he do?" Malfoy said in triumph.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione said, confused. "He didn't do anything to me!"

"Not that you know of!" Malfoy pointed out.

Hermione rolled her eyes. This was stupid. And why was Malfoy walking with her anyway!

"Why are you walking with me anyway, Malfoy?" Hermione demanded suddenly realizing he was there.

"For your information, Granger, I happen to be following my routine! I always bug you on the way to Arithmancy and on the way back from Arithmancy, in case you have forgotten!" Malfoy replied. "Tis tradition!"

Realizing he was right about it being his routine, Hermione just sighed and shook her head in frustration.

"So, back to what I was saying, I don't like him, and I don't trust him and neither should you!" Malfoy went on.

"Ah ha, and who am I supposed to trust? You?" Hermione said sarcastically.

Malfoy looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, yes, as it happens!"

"Yeah right!" Hermione almost laughed. "Trust you!"

Malfoy frowned. She wasn't cooperating!

"Well why not?" He demanded, insulted.

"Give me one good reason why I should trust you, Malfoy!" Hermione challenged.

Malfoy went silent as he thought. Two minutes passed and he still hadn't answered.

"You see?" Hermione said breaking the silence. "You can't even think of a reason!"

"Okay, so maybe I can't…but you've got to trust me on this!" Malfoy insisted. "I don't trust him!"

Hermione snorted. "Know what I think it is? I think you are jealous!"

Malfoy snorted. "Oh really? And why would I be jealous?"

"Because Lucas is better looking, and better mannered, and a true gentleman!" Hermione answered, her voice taking on that lovesick note again.

Malfoy suddenly knew a little of how Professor Snape must have felt back in Potions.

"He's practically perfect in every way!" Hermione said dreamily.

Throughout this whole thing, it had never occurred to either of them that they were actually having a conversation.

"He's not Perfect, it's impossi–"Malfoy started to say, but…

"HERMIONE!" A voice yelled and there was a blur of black and that blur pushed Hermione away from Malfoy.

"What the-" Hermione said, dazed.

Malfoy stood looking rather miffed at being rudely interrupted and a little confused when he saw Hermione and…Harry's head.

"You need to watch where you are going 'Mione!" Harry's head said breathlessly. "It's a good thing I came along when I did! Otherwise you'd have been caught under that with Malfoy!" he said nodding to a sprig of Mistletoe above Malfoy.

Malfoy looked up at it and silently thanked Potter. He'd never say it out loud of course.

Hermione looked at the Mistletoe and then at Malfoy and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks Harry!"

Harry smiled, pleased that he'd managed to save his friend from the terrible fate of kissing Draco Malfoy.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews! I love you guys to bits! Anyway...Okay, so I may have gotten a little carried away with this chapter, but it was so much fun to write. Please excuse Snapeduring his moment of insanityon this one too, he needed to let off a little steam. But Malfoy and Hermione have a moment in this too, so it wasn't a total waste!**

Chapter 5

Harry and Hermione walked along the corridor that led to the entrance hall and Malfoy trailed behind them, a bit miffed but contemplative. He racked his brain trying to figure out what it was that this Lucas Goldwater chap had done to Hermione. It wasn't the imperious curse, the git hadn't said the incantation, nor had he brought out his wand at any point. It wasn't a potion, Granger hadn't drunk anything. Malfoy was out of ideas. It had to be something he didn't know about. He made up his mind to ask Snape, and failing that, he would ask his father.

Harry and Hermione suddenly parted, then came together again, without stopping, and Malfoy, lost in thought, kept following. Suddenly, he was jerked back abruptly, jerking him out of his deep thoughts.

"What the…" He said bewildered, turning around to hex whoever had pulled him back.

"Oops!" a girls voice said before giggling.

Malfoy looked to his left, and a second year girl stood giggling, looking suspiciously pleased. To the side, a gaggle of her friends were also giggling.

Malfoy cringed and looked up. Sure enough, a sprig of Mistletoe hung not-so-innocently above them.

"You did that on purpose!" Malfoy cried in frustration.

His shout made Harry and Hermione turn to see what he was yelling about, and they promptly burst out laughing.

Malfoy sighed long sufferingly and inspected the girl. He wouldn't kiss just anyone!

"Hmm, hufflepuff…second year." Malfoy said as though inspecting a horse before buying. "Are you a pureblood, halfblood or a mudblood?" he demanded.

"What does it matter, Malfoy?" Hermione laughed "Either way you still have to kiss her, or you'll be stuck there forever!"

"Shut it Granger!" Malfoy growled, scowling at the giggling girl. "This is a conspiracy!"

"Just kiss her and get it over with Malfoy!" Harry said smirking.

Malfoy sighed in frustration. "Fine!" he snapped grabbing the girl and pulling her forward.  
She let out a squeal of delight before he kissed her on the lips briefly and pushed her away.

Her friends all squealed and jumped up and down in excitement for their successful friend.

"Draco Malfoy just kissed you!" one squealed as the girl rejoined her friends, looking dreamy.

"Get! Go on, Clear off!" Malfoy snapped angrily.

Harry and Hermione laughed as they turned and continued to walk to the Great hall.

Malfoy stomped after them, muttering about conspiracies and fan clubs.

Ron joined them in the Entrance hall.

"What's up with him?" Ron asked as a red faced Malfoy pushed past them and stomped into the Great Hall ahead of them.

"A second year Hufflepuff girl got him under the mistletoe." Harry replied, grinning.

"He wasn't too happy about it." Hermione giggled. "You should have seen his face when he realized what had happened!"

The trio entered the great hall, Harry going first, but Ron and Hermione entered together, forgetting about the mistletoe above the doorway, and got stuck.

"Ooops!" Ron said, turning red.

Hermione shrugged.  
They leaned forward and gave each other a peck on the lips as Harry watched, smiling.

Once free, and blushing, Ron and Hermione rejoined Harry and they took their places at the Gryffidor table.

"Uh oh!" Harry said suddenly staring at the doors to the Great Hall.

Ron and Hermione turned to see what Harry was gaping at and gasped.  
Every other head in the hall had turned to see Snape a very irate standing in the doorway with a seventh year Slytherin Girl who, surprisingly didn't look too bothered that she was under the mistletoe with Snape!

"Oh that poor girl!" Hermione whispered in horror.

"She doesn't seem to think so." Ron remarked as the girl fluttered her eyelashes at Snape, who looked mortified.

Everyone in the Great Hall gasped as the girl fairly threw herself at Snape, throwing her arms around his neck.

Snape froze, his eyes wide in shock as she began kissing him thoroughly.

"Oh my God!" Hermione gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock. "She's using her tongue!"

"That's disgusting!" Ron said in a shaky voice. "She's actually snogging Snape!"

"Professor Snape seems just as disgusted as we are!" Harry said as Snape tried to fight the girl off, thrashing around as though he was trying to throw off a tarantula that had landed on him.

"That's messed up." Seamus declared "Seriously messed up!"

Suddenly, something seemed awfully familiar about the whole scene to the three Gryffindors, Hermione in particular, but she couldn't quite place it. Maybe it had been a nightmare she had had once.

"GET OFF OF ME YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape roared as he finally managed to get his lips free and shoved the girl away from him. "SEVENTY POINTS FROM SLYTHERIN!" he fairly screamed before turning and fleeing to the safety of his seat at the head table, where he sat looking livid.

The rest of the great hall, mouths open in shock watched the girl walk smugly to the Slytherin table.

"Are you alright, Severus?" Professor McGonnagal inquired patting Snape's shaking hand.

"I've just been molested by a student, Minerva, how do you think I am!"

McGonnagal gave Snape a sympathetic look.

"That was the most disgusting thing I have ever experienced!" Snape said through his teeth.

"Seems you have an admirer Severus!" Dumbledore chuckled.

"This is all your fault, old man!" Snape snapped, stabbing his chicken with his fork.

"It is no fault of mine if one of your students has a crush on you!" Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling "Or that she has turned the mistletoe into a tool to let you know about her liking for you!"

"Be that as it may, Albus, it was you that gave her that tool!" Snape seethed.

Dumbledore chuckled again. "Do cheer up Severus!"

At that suggestion, Snape muttered something incoherent, but judging by his expression as he said it, it wasn't a good thing.

Meanwhile, at the Slytherin table, the Slytherin's were just as disturbed by their housemate's actions.

"What the frick was that all about, Tatiana?" Blaise Zabini demanded of the girl, banging his fist on the table causing the silverware to rattle.

She tossed her long black hair over her shoulder and looked aloof. "I don't have to answer to you Blaise!" she said curtly, picking up her knife and fork.

"Perhaps not," Malfoy said, sneering in disgust at what he had just witnessed. "But you just snogged Snape…and used your TONGUE!"

Tatiana's green eyes flashed mischievously. "Yes, and it was wonderful!"

Even Pansy Parkinson looked like she had suddenly lost her appetite at that confession.

"Well Snape didn't think so did he! He took SEVENTY POINTS!" Malfoy snapped, spearing his chicken in a savage manner and tearing off a piece with his teeth, and chewing it furiously. He was so mad at Tatiana for losing Slytherin 70 points that his upper-class table manners were forgotten.

Tatiana rolled her eyes and filled her plate and began eating, ignoring the cold and glaring looks she was getting from her housemates.

At the Gryffindor table, the Gryffindors were just getting their appetite's back.

Seamus was still shaking his head in disbelief. "I've seen some nasty things here at Hogwarts, but I think that tops the lot!"

"Here here!" Ron agreed around a mouthful of mashed potato.

"Honestly, what was she thinking!" Harry chimed in.

Hermione was quiet for a moment, her mind on other things.

"Alright 'Mione?" Ron asked, taking a gulp of pumpkin juice.

"Hmm? Oh, yes Ron I'm fine!" Hermione said smiling at her friend "Why do you ask?

Ron shrugged. "You just seemed quiet."

"Just thinking." Hermione said cutting off a small piece of chicken with her knife and fork and eating it.

Hermione's mind was in fact, preoccupied with thoughts of Lucas Goldwater again. She turned at scanned the Great Hall.

At the Slytherin table, faces were stony and Malfoy was eating like a barbarian.

At the Hufflepuff table, Hanna Abbot was laughing hysterically about something with a dark haired boy.

And at the Ravenclaw table, the usual reading was taking place, except for…

Hermione's heart skipped a beat. There sat Lucas Goldwater, gazing right back at her.  
When he saw that she was looking at him, he flashed her a dazzling smile.

Hermione smiled shyly back.

She turned back, still smiling to her dinner, to find Ron and Harry staring at her.

"Are you blushing Hermione?" Harry asked, surprised.

"N..no!" Hermione stammered, blushing even more.

"Yeah you are!" Ron declared.

"Alright Mione," Harry said firmly "Who is he?"

Hermione was about to reply but Ron jumped in.

"It's that new bloke in Ravenclaw!" Ron declared, pointing over at Lucas Goldwater.

"Ron stop pointing, it's rude!" Hermione scolded, her face bright red.

Harry chuckled. "She fancies him! Look at her! She's bright red!"

Hermione wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. "I do not!" she lied in a hiss.

Suddenly, something hit her in the back of the head. Turning, she saw a roast potato lying on the floor behind her.

She looked around to see where it had come from and saw Malfoy spearing another roast potato on his fork and taking aim.

"Malfoy!" she cried.

Malfoy paused. "What?" he called back

"You did that on purpose!" Hermione replied.

"It wasn't aimed at you! Get your bushy head down if you don't want hit!" He called, flicking his fork, sending the roast potato flying in her direction.

Hermione ducked and the roast potato smacked Ron on the nose.

Malfoy brandished his fist in victory.

"OW! Hey!" Ron cried rubbing his nose. He opened his mouth to say something cutting, but a piece of chicken bounced off of his forehead before he could say anything.

Harry was watching this with mild amusement, Hermione had to keep ducking as Malfoy launched food bombs at Ron.

"Oh that does it!" Ron vowed, scooping up a spoonful of mashed potatos.

"Ron don't!" Hermione pleaded "You'll just be playing into his hands!"

But before Ron could launch his counter attack on Malfoy, a glob of Mashed potato sailed through the air and smacked Malfoy in the face!

Ron was laughing so hard that he almost fell off the bench.

Harry and Hermione turned to see who had thrown it and their jaws dropped when they beheld Neville Longbottom looking rather pleased with himself.

"WHO THREW THAT!" Malfoy roared angrily, wiping the stuff off with his napkin.

Neville feigned innocence and pretended to be minding his own business. It worked. Malfoy scowled around at everyone, trying to figure out who had lobbed mashed potatoes at him.

Being vengeful, Malfoy decided any Gryffindor would do to vent upon and took the serving spoon in the mashed potatoes and scooped a glob out. He aimed, and fired at Harry, who was too busy laughing to notice.

It hit Harry square in the face and a good amount landed in his mouth, which had been open at the time with his laughing. Harry inhaled some and choked on it. Ron thumped him on the back to help him and when he had recovered, Harry grabbed a chicken leg and lobbed it at Malfoy in retaliation.

The chicken leg bounced off of Malfoy's forehead and the blonde Slytherin gasped in shock.

He recovered quickly and grabbed a handful of Brussell Sprouts and threw them one at a time at the Gryffindors.

Shrieks and yells abounded as the shower of offending veggies rained down on the Gryffindor table.

When the shower had stopped, it was remarkable how together the Gryffindor's were. They all stood up, at the same time, glaring at Malfoy, and wiping the smirk off of his face immediately.

"Please, please!" Dumbledore's voice came "Sit down, Gryffindor, allow me to deal with this matter appropriately!"

Grumbling and scowling, the Gryffindor's sat back down.

Dumbledore promptly scooped up a handful of mashed potatoes and threw them at Malfoy, splattering him with them on his head and shoulders.

The Gryffindor table erupted with laughter.

McGonnagal gasped "ALBUS!" she shrieked in horror.

"Oh come on Minerva, you should learn to have a little fun!" Dumbledore replied.

"Are Severus and I the only remotely sensible ones here?" McGonnagall huffed.

"Oh no you don't!" Snape growled suddenly, grabbing a handful of mushy peas and lobbing them at the Slytherin table, splattering Tatiana with them.

"She was going to throw gravy at Draco." He explained, shrugging as Minerva gaped at him in disbelief. "And she had it coming anyway."  
Tatiana shrieked and burst into tears as the Slytherins cheered.

"Shows what Professor Snape thought of your kiss doesn't' it!" Ron yelled above the laughter.

With a cry of Rage and retribution at Ron's comment, Tatiana grabbed a French bread stick and began whacking people randomly with it, Gryffindors and Slytherins alike.

This earned her a faceful of Mashed potatoes mixed with gravy from Snape's plate.

"FOOD FIGHT!" Dumbledore yelled.

The Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs who had been watching this whole exchange with shock and horror, especially when Snape and Dumbledore got involved, fled the Great Hall, not wanting to be involved in a war between the Slytherins and Gryffindors…especially a food one!

It was pandemonium. Food was flying everywhere, from every direction, no-one was safe!

Snape went nuts! He was grabbing food like ammo and lobbing it at anyone who was in his line of vision, but it was Tatiana he seemed set against and he sought her out through the chaos.

Dumbledore was in amongst the Gryffindors, organizing barracks using the table, turned on it's side and was hiding behind it with them, tossing food out from behind it at the Slytherins.

McGonnagal was flitting between the two houses as she tried to reason with them, ducking and dodging food in the crossfire.

"Now really, this is not acceptable behavior!" She screeched.

Snape shut her up with a mixture of Mashed potatoes and mushy peas he had artfully mixed together, and then he spotted Tatiana and made a beeline for her, grabbing a bowl of brussell sprouts in passing from a Gryffindor boy. Tatiana saw him coming and stared at him, wondering what he was going to do. As soon as he had reached her, Snape grabbed her head under one arm and stuffed the sprouts one by one into her mouth as she screamed and struggled to get free.

"HHAAHAHA!" Snape cackled manically "How do you like me now Slope?"

McGonnagalgave up after that and took refuge behind the Gryffindor table with Dumbledore and the students.

"Ah, Minerva!" Dumbledore said cheerfully "Come to join our ranks?"

McGonnagal sniffed indignantly. "Severus threw some awful concoction at me."

Dumbledore chuckled.

"Oi! Granger!" Malfoy yelled. He'd managed to get right up to the table the Gryffindors were behind and was standing over them.

Hermione looked up and screeched when Malfoy grabbed her shirt and ripped the first four buttons on it off and dumped a bowl of cherries down it, before darting off just in time to avoid being hit by a glob of custard with love from Harry.

Hermione screamed with rage as the cherries tumbled down her chest and tummy.

She un-tucked her shirt and collected the cherries in her skirt as they fell out.

"Ron! Help me squash these!" She shouted over the noise of the battle.

Ron nodded and together, they squashed the cherries in a bowl the Slytherin's had conveniently thrown at them.

They saw Snape pass by, and retrace his steps back to them. He looked down at what they were doing and smirked.

"Professor Snape!" Hermione cried, unnerved by the manic glint in the Potion Master's eyes.

"A little cream to go with those cherries?" He offered, pouring heavy cream over Hermione's head.

"You…YOU HORRIBLE MAN!" Hermione screamed at him.

Snape grinned evilly before running off laughing like a madman, waving the jug of cream around, showering Slytherins as he went.

"Snape's lost the plot!" Ron decided. "Dotty as you please!"

"MY HAIR!" Hermione wailed woefully, cream dripping down her nose. Suddenly, her face hardened with resolve.

"That does it!" she said vengefully. "Snape has just sealed Draco Malfoy's fate! Hand me that custard, and those peas, and pass me some mashed potato, and while you are at it, toss me all the cherries we have and cream!"

Hermione mixed these ingredients as her housemates passed them to her, taking care to squash the cherries again.

Soon, she had made a huge bowl of the offending mixture and bade her time.

They watched Malfoy engage in food war for a few minutes, and waited for the all clear from Dumbledore.

When the signal came, Harry, Ron and Hermione dashed out towards Malfoy, making sure Snape was watching, and carrying the huge bowl

Between them over their heads.

The trio let out a cry of war as they neared Malfoy, who turned, and had time to look mildly surprised.

Meanwhile, Snape had seen what they were up to and was running as fast as he could towards them to save Malfoy from his sticky gooey fate…but he wasn't fast enough.

Harry, Ron and Hermione gleefully dumped the entire contents of the bowl onto Malfoy.

For a moment, Malfoy just stood there, covered in goop and staring at Hermione.

Suddenly, and without warning, he flew at Hermione, pushing her to the floor and jumped on her, taking great care to wriggle all over her to cover her with her own concoction.

"How do you like your weapon now Granger?" Malfoy demanded, rubbing his head all over her face.

Hermione screamed as her own weapon was used against her, that and having Draco Malfoy writhing all over you was just too much!

"MALFOY! GET OFF!" She screeched.

The rest of the battle died down as a crowd gathered to watch what appeared to be a wrestling match between Hermione and Draco.

Snape's mind was slowly coming back to him, having lost it 20 minutes before somewhere during the battle, and he stood watching and giving Malfoy pointers on pinning and various other moves.

But Hermione was ready for all of them. She had cousins, and Harry and Ron for practice!

Deftly, and thanks mostly to the fact that they were both slippery, she slipped out of every one of Malfoy's vice like grips and moves.

In Malfoy's opinion, it was like trying to catch a bar of wet soap!

Finally, he managed to pin her beneath him, clamping her legs with his and holding her hands to the floor by her head.

He rather liked her like this! Beneath him, right where she belonged!

No matter how she squirmed, she couldn't get free.

"Let me go Malfoy!" She growled.

"Nope, not until you beg!" Malfoy replied smugly.

"NEVER!" she cried defiantly.

"I've got all night Granger!" Malfoy said casually.

Dumbledore surveyed the damage as this exchanged was taking place.

The Gryffindor's, thanks to their trusty barracks, weren't in too much of a mess, they had a few bits of food over them, but for the most part, didn't come off too badly in battle.

The Slytherin's on the other hand, were almost unrecognizable. Covered from head to foot in food and dessert, it was clear who triumphed.

"GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Dumbledore announced happily.

The Gryffindor's cheered in victory and the Slytherin's scowled in defeat.

Snape started barking at his house members about learning how to do food battle better in the future, should such an occasion arise again.

Malfoy, distracted by the devastating news that his house had lost the food war, suddenly felt Hermione move beneath him, flipping him over onto his back at lightning speed, and sitting on his stomach, smiling in triumph.

He stared at her, lost for a moment. She was rather attractive, all tousled and wild….NO!

He scolded himself for thinking about Hermione that way. 'It's Granger for Merlin's sake! Honestly…what would father say!

"Let me up, Granger!" He demanded.

"Beg." Hermione stated.

"NO WAY! Malfoy's don't beg….ever." Malfoy declared.

"How about you call it a truce, that way, we can go get clean!" Harry suggested, wiping his glasses clean on his robes.

Hermione and Malfoy looked at each other for a moment.

Malfoy finally nodded and Hermione allowed him to offer his hand.

She looked at his hand dubiously before slowly taking it and shaking.

"Truce." They said at the same time.

Ron and Harry helped Hermione up and Malfoy got to his feet.

Everyone was heading to the doors, eager to get a shower or bath.

Snape swept off down to his dungeons, dripping food on the floor as he went.

Dumbledore was walking with McGonnagal who was nagging at him.

"Absolutely appalling behavior!" she sniffed. "Food fights, honestly Albus, what will the Slytherin parents think if they hear about this! Their children engaging in a food fight!"

"Relax Minerva! There was nothing wrong with a good old fashioned food fight! It was good for the two houses to war like that. Let them let off some steam, relieve some inter house rivalry!" Dumbledore replied calmly. "I think Severus rather enjoyed himself! He got to release some tension, judging by the way he was running around like a madman throwing food about like ammo! Perhaps this has helped him relieve some stress."

McGonnagal sighed and shook her head. Albus's methods may be a little nutty, but he did have a point. Stress between Gryffindor and Slytherin had been released a little. Perhaps he was right, maybe now that the tension had been released, the two houses would get along better!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: There, I've uploaded finally. Sorry it's taken so long, I've been busy moving back to Scotland, and now I'm here and settled in my new flat.Okay, so anyway. Thanks for all of those nice reviews! And to the ones that flamed this and my other story, I'm sorry if you don't like it, but this is only fanfiction and if you don't like it, you don't have to read it. I'm writing it anyway. **

CHAPTER 6

Apparantly, Professor Dumbledore's theory regarding the food fight helping with house unity between the Slytherin's and the Gryffindor's wasn't happening as quickly as he had hoped. Currantly, the Slytherin's were still sore about losing the battle, that they had begun to vow revenge upon the Gryffindor's. Rumors were rampant amongst the Hufflepuff's and the Ravenclaws ranging from the Slytherin's declaring war on the Gryffindor's in a proper wizard's duel, and Draco Malfoy's plans for personal revenge on Hermione Granger for essentially beating him in the war and ruining his best Armani robes, to Hermione's personal revenge on Snape for the heavy cream incident and giving Malfoy tips on pinning her.

And Professor Snape's sanity had been fully restored, and he was, for the most part, back to his old narky, snapping self. Whenever Dumbledore or any of the professors mentioned the foodfight around him, he would sniff indignantly and remain aloof as he reminded the other professors that they, like the cowardly hufflepuff's and ravenclaw's, had fled the great hall in the heat of battle, and therefore had no right to tease him about the fact that he had released years of pent up steam in a most unorthodox way. But that apparently wasn't a good enough reason to stop teasing him about it. Since his moment of insanity, he had endured sniggers, pointing and even impressions of him running around like a raving lunatic by his fellow staff members that he'd been sorely tempted to hex the living daylights out of them! So, Snape was to be found in the sanctuary of his dungeons, where he had taken to having his meals brought to him there by a house-elf.

Of course, the rumors had gotten around to the Houses they spoke about, and it unnerved both houses somewhat to hear some of the things that the rival house had reportedly said, but neither of them would admit to it. They passed each other in the halls and glared, growled and snarled at each other, but due to it being midweek, they couldn't do anything else seeing as it was between classes so they didn't have time to do any of the things they had allegedly planned. So, it was decided that the weekend was the time for Slytherin's, Gryffindor's and Professor Snape to watch their backs.

It was a nice day outside, and everyone was taking advantage of it during lunch break, which Dumbledore, being in such a good mood due to the weather, had extended by an hour, so now they had two hours for lunch that day.  
Harry, Ron and Hermione had settled themselves by the lake, beneath an ancient oak tree to relax and turned lunch into a picnic.

Hermione's way of relaxing was getting ahead with her homework for the following week..

"But it's not due for a week!" Ron had protested after she had declined to play a game of exploding snap with him.

"Better sooner than later, Ronald!." Hermione replied, scribbling happily away at her Transfiguration homework.

Ron looked at Harry hopelessly and Harry shrugged in response.

Both of them knew that they had about as much chance of having Malfoy fall off the face of the earth by sheer luck, than getting Hermione away from studying.

Not far from where the trio lay sprawled out on the grass, eating strawberries and talking and (in Hermione's case) reading, Malfoy, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle were reclined on the grass staring at the sky.

"I see a dragon." Pansy said pointing up at a passing cloud.

"I see a bunny." Goyle said dozily.

"That's not a bunny you idiot, that's Professor Snape," Malfoy snapped as Professor Snape loomed above them looking down at them "and you aren't playing the game right anyway, you're supposed to be looking at clouds," Malfoy continued still staring up at his head of house "Who's idea was it to play this stupid game anyway!"

"Mine." Pansy replied.

"If it is so stupid, why are we playing it?" Crabbe asked.

"Because we are bored." Pansy told him with a sigh.

"Hello Professor Snape." Malfoy said finally acknowledged, not moving from his position on the ground with his hands cradling his head.

Snape gave the four of them a withering look. "What are you doing down there?" he asked in his silky voice.

"We're sunbathing." Pansy replied in a bored tone.

Snape shook his head. "How disappointing."

"What's disappointing?" Malfoy asked.

"That my Slytherin's can't find something more productive with which to occupy their free time." Snape replied, sneering in disappointment.

Malfoy sat up slightly, resting on his elbows. "And what are you doing with this free time Professor? Shouldn't you be working on a potion or something?"

Snape narrowed his eyes warningly at Malfoy, but let it go. He didn't like taking points from his own house.

Suddenly, Pansy rolled onto her stomach, resting on her elbows. "Oh look! There's that new boy!" she said interestedly.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle rolled over onto their stomachs too and Snape looked over to see the person Pansy was referring to.

"Lucas Goldwater." Malfoy spat venomously.

Snape looked down at Malfoy, an eyebrow arched. "I take it you do not care for Mr Goldwater, Mr Malfoy." he observed.

"I think he's handsome!" Pansy said dreamily.

Snape curled his lip in distaste. Pansy was a girl, he knew that, but she was a Slytherin, and as such, she was supposed to be above the simpering part of attraction.

The watched as Lucas Goldwater stopped and surveyed the grounds and students.

"It would seem he is looking for something." Snape said quietly.

They continued to watch the boy closely as he suddenly stopped looking around and stared at something, a smile playing on his features.

Malfoy felt himself tense. "He's found what he was looking for." he grunted.

His comrades and Snape followed his gaze to where Lucas was looking.

"Miss Granger?" Snape said in mild surprise.

"Yes. He's been sniffing around Granger since he got here!" Malfoy spat. "Acting all dashing and debonair. And do you know what else!" he said exasperatedly as they watched Lucas catch Hermione's eye and flash her a dashing smile, making her blush and smile shyly back.

"Granger is falling for it like a hexed dragon!" Malfoy finished.

Snape noted Malfoy's angry tone. "And just why does this displease you Draco?"

"What are you talking about? I'm not displeased. What do I care if Granger is falling for that idiot." Malfoy replied sulkily.

"Allow me to rephrase the question…why does Lucas Goldwater displease you?" Snape tried.

"Well, he come's swaggering into Hogwarts like he owns the place and just upsets my routine! Look at him, swaggering around like a bloody peacock, with his stupid smile and stupid hair." Malfoy spat. "I'm the looks and money in this School, not him!"

Snape sighed. He realized Malfoy was jealous, but what threat was this new boy to Malfoy? What did he care about Hermione?

Snape chose to be silent and continued to observe with his students.

After Hermione had smiled shyly back at him, Lucas Goldwater swaggered over in her direction, his eyes fixed on her, and an almost cunning smile on his face. On his way over, he conjured a red rose and when he reached Hermione, he bowed, and held it out to her.

Two jaws dropped and one eyebrow cocked.

"Smoothie, he's definitely a smoothie!" Snape said interestedly "And shut your mouths before two flies set up home in them."

Malfoy and Pansy snapped their mouths shut.

Meanwhile, Lucas was talking to Hermione as Ron and Harry sat by in silence, occasionally exchanging glances.

Hermione giggled at something Lucas said and nodded. He held his hand out to her and she took it, allowing him to help her to her feet, kissing her hand, when she was standing.

Then, he fed her arm through his and they walked slowly around, towards where Malfoy, Snape and the other's were watching them.

Harry and Ron watched them go, looking bewildered, mouths hanging open. Suddenly, their gazes met those of the observing Slytherin's. They stared at each other for a moment.

"I wonder if Messrs Potter and Weasley know anything about this mysterious young man." Snape suggested softly.

"You are suspicious too?" Malfoy said, sounding somewhat relieved that he was not alone in his suspicions and dislike for the new boy.

"Somewhat interesting." Snape mused. He took pride in the fact that he kept his distance from the Gryffindor's, but he knew enough about Miss Granger to know that she wouldn't just up and leave her two bodyguards to fawn over a boy she'd just met and barely knew. Perhaps Draco was right, something was not right about that new boy.

"Perhaps a little interaction is required." Snape suggested, giving Malfoy a meaningful look. "Miss Parkinson, why don't you take Messrs Crabbe and Goyle for a walk somewhere else."

Pansy sighed and obeyed.

Malfoy smirked. This Goldwater git had his work cut out for him if he thought he could just ruin Draco's routine and world.

They fell silent as Hermione and Lucas neared them, strolling arm in arm, gazing at each other. Hermione wore a dreamy expression on her face, allowing Lucas to lead her. They strolled past, and Malfoy and Snape caught part of their conversation.

"You have such beautiful eyes, Hermione." Lucas said softly. His accent had an aristocratic air to it. "I get lost in them."  
"Why thank you. I've never been complimented on them before." Hermione sighed back, "Come to think of it, I've never been complimented on anything before."

"That is an outrage!" Lucas answered firmly. "You must be the most beautiful girl in this school! Viktor Krum's description of your beauty did not do you justice!"

Malfoy snorted as their voices faded. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes." Snape replied in his soft voice. "It would seem that Mr Goldwater is very taken with Miss Granger. I never thought I'd see the day."

"It's ridiculous don't you think!" Malfoy went on and imitated Lucas's voice and Bulgarian accent, which came out sounding more French. "You 'ave such beautiful eyes 'ermione! You must be ze most beautiful girl in zis school, Ermione! Come to bed wiz me Ermione!"

Snape raised his eyebrow. "That was not a Bulgarian accent, it was French." he pointed out. "And I heard no part where he invited her to bed, otherwise I'd have removed points."

Malfoy rolled his eyes and looked over at Harry and Ron who were looking rather dejectedly at Hermione's abandoned books.

Snape nodded and waited until they looked up at them again. When they glanced up, Snape jerked his head at them.

Looking slightly confused, Harry and Ron got up, grabbed Hermione's books and made their way over to Snape.

"Yes Professor Snape?" Harry asked politely, wondering why the potions master was even out in Sunlight. He'd always thought Snape would melt or something if he was out in the sun.

Ron took a moment to sneer at Malfoy, who returned the sneer.

"I have noticed that Miss Granger abandoned you both to take a walk with Mr Goldwater." Snape said briskly.

Harry and Ron nodded, but looked confused as to why Snape of all people were inquiring.

"Yeah, she did." Ron said, allowing his rejection speak. "We tried for almost an hour to get her to put her books down and play a game of exploding snap with us, but she wouldn't hear of it. Then that Goldwater bloke came over and she just dropped her books and got up and left with him!"

"We saw that, Mr Weasley," Snape drolled, "What I am asking you is, have you noticed anything strange about Miss Granger's behavior when Mr Goldwater is not around?"

Harry and Ron thought for a minute before answering.

"No." Ron said.

"She's her usual self, just…" Harry trailed off, hesitating. He didn't want to give details of what Hermione was like in private, especially to Snape, and with Malfoy standing right there and all.

"Just what?" Snape prompted.

"Just…" Harry said again, hesitating even more.

"Spit it out Potter!" Malfoy snapped.

"Look, I don't see what this has to do with you Malfoy!" Harry snapped back.

"Just answer the question Potter!" Snape snarled.

"Fine!" Harry snapped, feeling cornered. "She's just doing somethings that she hasn't done before, like going around singing to herself, and she's been slightly distracted too. Nothing major, it's just that she hasn't done these things before. Happy?"

"Was that so hard, Potter!" Malfoy said sulkily.

"What do you want to know all this for anyway?" Harry demanded.

"That is not of your concern, Mr Potter, just keep an eye on her." Snape replied. "You may go now."

"No, I want to know why you want to know!" Harry said defiantly.

Snape's eyes flashed in warning. "I told you it was not of your concern!" he growled.

"Harry lets just go." Ron said pulling Harry away.  
Harry reluctantly followed Ron, turning to glare back at Malfoy and Snape now and then.

"Why do you think they want to know?" Harry asked Ron.

"Dunno mate, but they are suspicious about something. They don't trust that Goldwater bloke any more than we do, and they are Slytherin's, so something's definitely up. Thing is, why do they care that it's Mione he's with?"

"I don't know Ron, but one things for sure, We are going to get to the bottom of this." Harry said determinedly as they walked back up to the Castle.


	7. Chapter 7

**Well, here's another chapter guys. Sorry it took so long in getting up, I've just been working like mad and have very little time to write. But I got it done. It's not a terribly long chapter, but I hope you like it anyway. Thank you all so much for your reviews, they mean so much to me! I LOVE YOU GUYS!**

Chapter 7.

Harry and Ron strode back into the castle, discussing what had just taken place.

"So, what do you reckon is up with Hermione then? What else have you noticed that I haven't?" Ron asked as they headed towards the Gryffindor common room.

"Well, you heard what I told Snape, the other things are of even less interest. I could just be paranoid." Harry replied.  
Ron noted that his friend's voice had a concerned edge to it. He was obviously worried about Hermione.

"Like what?" Ron asked.

"Well, stuff like her going all weird when he's around, like she's off in another world or something. She doesn't hear a thing we are saying. But it's only when he's around. And she's been in an exceptionally good mood for the past few days too, she's not doing her homework obsessively like she normally does, and yesterday, Lavender said she saw Hermione _preening_ this morning! Since when has Hermione cared about how she looks!" Harry enlightened his redheaded friend.

Ron was slightly skeptical. "Well, we already know she has a crush on the bloke, maybe this is something every girl does when she has a crush on a bloke." He reasoned.

Harry shook his head. "No, there's something weird going on!"

"Watch it Mate!" Ron suddenly cried, yanking Harry to the side.

Harry steadied himself and looked up, sure enough, there was a sprig of that annoying bane of everyone's existence.  
"Blimey! You need to watch where you're going Mate! You nearly got caught under that with Millicent Bulstrode!" Ron said.

Millicent Bullstrode turned and grinned viciously before punching Harry in the arm.

"Watch it Potter! Wouldn't want to have to snog you!" She said before cackling and stomping off with a gaggle of her Slytherin friends.

"Thanks Ron.!" Harry said gratefully as they watched them go, rubbing his upper arm where the Slytherin girl had punched it.

Ron nodded. "You'd have done the same for me."

Harry nodded vigorously. "In a heartbeat, yeah."

"So, like I was saying, maybe Mione's just being a girl, y'know?" Ron said thoughtfully.

Harry thought about this carefully. Maybe Ron was right, maybe it was just a schoolgirl crush type thing.

"Yeah, maybe you're right." he said to Ron. "But something must be strange about it if it's gotten Malfoy and Snape's attention."

Ron snorted. "Well, with a nose that big, maybe Snape's just naturally nosey!"

Harry laughed "Yeah, it's so big he probably can't help having it poking into other people's business!"

The two boys enjoyed a good laugh at Snape's expense. Then they composed themselves enough to wonder about Malfoy.

"Yeah, but how do you explain Malfoy's interest?" Harry asked, still grinning, but it was a serious question.

"Maybe he fancies Mione!" Ron said, cracking up again.

Harry conjured up a bottle of sleekeasy's hair tonic and slicked his hair back just like Malfoy's and swaggered around Ron.

"I am Draco Malfoy, bow before me you filth! Hey mudblood! The fact is, I fancy the wand off you, so you'd better get used to my infinite presence, coz I'm claiming you. What I want, I get and there's nothing you can do about it! If, in the highly unlikely event that you can resist my devonair charms and angelic good looks, my father shall hear of it and deal with you accordingly until you give in! What say you Granger?"" Harry said, doing a pretty good imitation of Malfoy.

Ron was red in the face from laughing, but he had to respond. He batted his eyelashes and simpered. "Why Malfoy! Your powers of seduction are too powerful for me to resist! I, Hermione Granger have been swept off my feet by your manly charms! What is a girl to do?"

The two boys collapsed in hysterical laughter.

"Wait, wait!" Harry laughed "Don't forget Snape sticking his nose in!" He smoothed his hair down and put on a sour expression, flapping his robes around.

"Miss Granger, you had better take Mr Malfoy up on his generous offer of his affections, or I shall take a gazillion points from Gryffindor, and fail you on your potions final!"

Ron was laughing so hard that he thought he was going to crack a rib.

"That was brilliant acting mate!" He declared.

Harry smoothed his hair back and walked with Ron the rest of the way back to Gryffindor tower, still chuckling about their impressions, dodging numerous sprigs of Mistletoe as they went.

Meanwhile, Malfoy and Snape had decided to follow Hermione and Lucas at a safe distance, using the trees and bushes to their advantage.

Snape was used to concealing himself. He had to do such things when he had been a death eater, so he was rather an expert on the matter.

"What exactly are we doing professor?" Malfoy asked.

"Shadowing them, so we can spy." Snape answered simply.

"And you do this a lot do you? Shadow students I mean." Malfoy questioned.

"Not usually. Normally I'm following…never mind. I am making an exception in this case."  
"Why?" Malfoy asked.

"Because I want to." Snape answered.

"What is this the bloody Spanish Inquisition?" Snape snapped.

Apparantly, he had been a little too loud, as Lucas and Hermione heard him and they turned abruptly around.

Just in time, Snape grabbed Malfoy and dove into a handy bush.

Snape peered through the leaves.

Hermione was too distracted by Lucas to care, but Lucas looked around suspiciously for a moment, before shrugging and turning his attentions back to Hermione.

"You almost blew our cover!" Malfoy hissed.

"ME?" Snape hissed back indignantly "It was you who- oh forget it!" He crawled out of the bush and got back to his feet.

Malfoy followed and got to his feet too, picking leaves and dirt out of his hair.

"Filthy job this spying lark." He said disapprovingly. "These are one of my best robes! Mother is going to avada me!"  
"Will you shut up!" Snape hissed. "Spying is a very dangerous thing to be doing, and you are treating it like a school bloody trip!"

"Dangerous?" Malfoy remarked, raising one groomed eyebrow. "It's only Granger and the git! What can they do to us?"

"Have you seen Miss Granger's wand work?" Snape enquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, not bad on the whole." Malfoy afforded.

"Not bad? She could curse your buttocks right off this planet if she chose to do so!" Snape pointed out.

Malfoy snorted. "I highly doubt it, she's a girl."

Snape gave his young charge a withering look. "And what does that have to do with it?"

Malfoy shook his head, indicating that he wasn't getting involved in this conversation anymore.

Snape let it go.

They were lucky to get close enough to hear Hermione and Lucas talk again, and they ducked behind a bush again.

"Look at him!" Malfoy hissed. "Who does he remind you of?"

Snape studied the raven haired boy before him. "Rather like Potter," he squinted "and a lot like Cedric Diggory if you squint."

Malfoy squinted and frowned. "I don't see what you are seeing. He doesn't look like either of them."

"That's because I can't see a bloody thing!" Snape whispered impatiently. He wanted to get a better view so he looked up at the tree above them, and spotted a wonderful vantage point. With the grace and agility of a cat, he silently and quickly climbed the tree to a branch hanging over Hermione and Lucas, and lay smirking at Malfoy who was goggling up at him in disbelief.

Lucas raised a hand to cup Hermione's face. "You are so intelligent and beautiful Hermione." He said softly.

"Thank you." Hermione replied blushing.

"You are too bashful!" Lucas chided gently "You should be holding your head high, proud of what and who you are!"

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Oh please." He mouthed silently, before awkwardly climbing the tree to join Snape, pausing just before the branch Snape was occupying.

Snape was watching Hermione and Lucas but looked up when Malfoy began to climb on his branch.

Malfoy gingerly inched his way onto the branch.

Snape shook his head, trying to get Malfoy's attention, but Malfoy was too preoccupied with not falling off the branch to notice Snape.

"Have you ever been kissed, Hermione?" Lucas asked suddenly, his voice dripping with seduction.

Snape's head snapped around in surprise. This was getting really interesting now!

Malfoy blanched at the question, and nearly fell off the branch, and stopped where he was, about halfway along, and goggled down at the pair below.

Hermione was blushing furiously. "Well, it depends on what sort of kiss you are talking of." She answered shyly.

"I mean a real kiss, a sensual kiss." Lucas explained pulling her closer to him.

Hermione began to look slightly flustered. "Well, I…no, I haven't but I.."  
Lucas ran a hand through her hair. "I must kiss you Hermione! I simply must."

"Yes, but…" Hermione stammered.

"Ssh. Don't fret dearest." Lucas soothed, and bent his head.

Hermione trembled as his lips drew closer to hers. She was afraid, yet she found that she couldn't move, or didn't want to…she couldn't figure out which one. She closed her eyes as he got closer.

His lips were within a millimeter of hers, when suddenly-

CRACK…SNAP…"AAARGH!"….CRUNCH!

Hermione let out a startled scream. "Professor!" she gasped.

Snape and Malfoy lay in a crumpled heap beside the broken branch they had perched on.

"YOU?" Lucas growled at Malfoy.

Snape swiftly stood up, putting his robes right and jerked his head to get his hair out of his face. "Miss Granger…Mr Goldwater." He said, acting as if he hadn't just fallen out of a tree.

"Professor, what were you doing in that tree?" Hermione asked, still shocked that Professor Snape had been up there in the first place.

"That is none of your concern Miss Granger, however, I shall grace your question with an answer none-the-less." Snape replied curtly. "Mr Malfoy and I were collecting some Nefertite berries for my potions supplies." He said importantly, nudging Malfoy who was behind him. Malfoy got the message and discreetly aimed his wand at the tree, muttered something and magically said berries appeared in the tree just as Hermione looked up.

"I didn't know they grew in oak trees, Professor…I thought they grew on bushes, like all berries!" Hermione said, confused.

Snape put on a sneer. "Well, well, well, it seems our oh so intelligent Miss Granger doesn't know everything!"  
Hermione bowed her head, blushing. "No Sir, I do not."

Snape looked at Lucas, who was glaring at Malfoy. "Get back to the school." He said suddenly.

Lucas looked at Snape, surprised by his sudden shortness. "Sir?"

"Go. Back. To. The. School." Snape said more forcefully.

"Why? We still have 20 minutes left before class starts again." Lucas pointed out.

Snape's eyes glinted dangerously. "Mr Malfoy, accompany Miss Granger back to the School, if you will." Snape said, his eyes not leaving Lucas's.

"Yes Professor." Malfoy said, smirking at Lucas. He stepped forward. "Come on Granger, lets go."

Hermione looked insulted.

"Be a gentleman Mr Malfoy!" Snape chided.

Malfoy winced. He hated being corrected. He held out his arm for Hermione to take.

Hermione looked shocked for a moment, before slowly taking Malfoy's offered arm and he led her off back towards the school.

Malfoy couldn't help but look back over his shoulder and smirk at Lucas, who looked absolutely furious.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Hermione finally spoke.

"You don't like him, do you?" She asked suddenly.

"No. I don't. I told you that." Malfoy answered plainly.

"But why?" Hermione persued.

"Why do you care?" Malfoy challenged.

"Because I don't see what you have against him. He hasn't wronged you." Hermione said.

"He has wronged me. Are you forgetting that day the slimy git first met us?" Malfoy said heatedly. "He acted like he owned the place, shoving me around like he did. And you just fell right into his trap."  
Hermione flared up. "What trap?" She demanded. "He happens to genuinely care about me! He likes me for who I am, I don't have to pretend to be anyone with him!" She suddenly stopped, why was she saying all of this…to Malfoy none-the-less!

"You hardly know him!" Malfoy pointed out. "You met him only a few days ago!"

"I…He..." Hermione wanted to argue with him, but he was right. She had only met Lucas a few days ago, and already she was eating out of his hand.

"You know what? I don't trust him. He's up to something, I can tell. And I'll tell you something else Granger, he's done something to you. Put a spell on you or something, I don't know, but whatever he's done, you need to snap out of it!" Malfoy said feverantly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Look, I don't need you telling me how to deal with my romances. I trust him, and that's all that matters. Besides, who are you to suddenly pop up with good advice? You made my life hell for the past 4 years!"

Malfoy sighed. "Oh get over it Granger! We've grown up since then!"

"What, since last week you mean?" Hermione snorted. "Hardly."

"Look, Granger, the Yule ball is in a week, just promise me one thing. Promise me you won't go with him!" Malfoy said waving away her skeptical view.

Hermione turned to him, her eyes blazing. "And just who does the great Draco Malfoy think I should go with? YOU?" She asked with a snort.

"Well why not? It would be better than you going with him!" Malfoy blurted out without thinking. He slapped a hand over his mouth and cursed. "Forget I just said that Granger. Anyway, just don't go with him. Go with Weasley or Potter, anyone but him."

"Why don't you just keep your nose to yourself Malfoy, and stop acting like a jealous little boy. You are just jealous that Lucas is far more superior to you. And for your information, I do intend to go with him to the ball, know why? It's because I can go with whoever the hell I like."

And with that, she stormed the rest of the way up to the castle by herself leaving Malfoy seething behind her.

"You're making a big mistake Granger!" Malfoy yelled after her.


	8. Chapter 8

Malfoy stood alone, watching as Hermione stormed into the castle, the heavy oak doors slamming shut behind her with a great rumble and crash.

"Stupid Granger." Malfoy raged "Stupid Goldwater…stupid…Stupid ME!" he added kicking clumps of grass up in his tirade.

He took a deep breath, looking down at the sad remains of the grass he had kicked around. What was wrong with him anyway? Maybe Granger was right about…NO! No he was not going there. Granger was never right about him. What a stupid thing to suggest…jealous…Ha!

Malfoy snorted out loud as his thoughts rambled silently.

Suddenly he was aware of how dumb he must look from the castle, yelling and kicking clumps of grass around. He hoped no-one was looking out of the windows, for his dignity's sake.

Smoothing his hair and straightening his robes imperiously, he put his trademark smirk back on his handsome face, and sauntered in his usual arrogant style manner back to the castle.

Meanwhile, Snape was walking Lucas back to the castle, taking the opportunity to interrogate the boy.

"Tell me, Mr Goldwater, what is your angle?" Snape asked cunningly.

"My angle? What are you talking about?" Lucas answered.

"Yes, your angle, what are you up to?" Snape said impatiently.

"I don't know what you are talking about Professor." Lucas sighed agitatedly.

"Don't play innocent with me boy, I know you're up to something." Snape snapped.

"I am certainly not!" Lucas argued.

"You most certainly are!" Snape growled "I've seen you with Miss Granger…what do you want with her?"

"For your information, I happen to like her, alright? Is that a crime?" Lucas snapped.

"Don't use that tone with me boy." Snape snarled, whipping around, and stopping Lucas in his tracks.

Lucas looked startled at first at this sudden move, but quickly resumed his defiance and stood glaring at Snape.

"Now tell me, what is it that you want with Miss Granger?" Snape snarled, getting angry with the arrogant youth before him.

"I told you, I happen to like her!" Lucas snarled back.

"You're lying." Snape hissed.

"I am not!" Lucas said in a low voice.

"Yes you are, it's written all over your smug face." Snape said, a disgusted expression crossing his face.

Lucas rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Why do you care anyway? I mean, what is it to you what Hermione does and with whom?"  
Snape had been expecting this question, so he was prepared with a smart ass answer.

"She's my student. And you should know, Mr Goldwater, that I make it my business to know what each and every one of my students does out of class time…especially when what it is they are doing affects their work in class and therefore their grades."

"No offence, but that's a bit creepy don't you think? Sneaking around, spying on your students?" Lucas snorted.

Snape's eyes glinted dangerously. "You don't want to cross me, Mr Goldwater." He warned.

"I've given you an answer to your question Professor, whether or not you choose to believe me is your own choice, but you have no right to hold me here and keep me from class." Lucas said calmly.

Snape inwardly cursed. Obviously the boy wasn't going to talk at that time. He would have to wait until he could get the boy to a place where he could administer some Veritaserum to him and get the truth out of him that way.

"Suit yourself Mr Goldwater, I have given you the chance to come clean and you refused. You are free to go," Snape said softly, "but just so you know…I'm watching you like a hawk."

And with that said, Snape swept off back to the castle, leaving the boy behind to think about his lack of co-operation and it's consequences.

Hermione fairly flew back to the Gryffindor common room, too furious to notice the first years scurrying out of her way, fearful of the rage in her eyes.

She reached the common room and snarled the password at the Fat lady.

"Gryffindor's rule, Slytherin's drool."

"How true, dear. But really, it's not very ladylike to snarl in such an unbecoming manner." The fat Lady chided.

Hermione ignored her and stormed inside to the Gryffindor common room where she threw herself down in an angry heap on the couch beside Harry.

"What a horrible, petty, ignorant GIT!" she declared, screeching the last word.

Harry flinched. "It wasn't me. I didn't do it!"

"I haven't done anything!" Ron protested at the same time.

But apparently, Hermione hadn't heard them. She continued to rant.

"Stupid Git." She seethed. "Oooh, I just want to hex him so bad! How dare he try and dictate what I do!"

"Are you talking about this Goldwater bloke?" Harry asked.

"No!" Hermione cried indignantly. Harry flinched again.

"Sorry!" He squeaked.

"I'm talking about that stupid ferret, Malfoy!" Hermione growled, her hands forming a circle, as though imagining Malfoy's fair neck between them.

Ron looked amused and sat grinning. "You go for it Hermione. Follow your dreams and throttle Malfoy!" he cheered her on.

"Oooh, I will! Just you wait! The next time I see him, I'm going to…oooh just wait!" Hermione snarled.

"Here's what I'll do…I'll hex him, then torture him, slowly, to better the amount of pain he'll have to endure. Then, I'll kill him in the slowest, most agonizing way possible, then I'll chop him up into little bits and put him in a box, then I'll put that box inside another box, and then I'll mail that box to myself –"

"Okaaay, Hermione, you are scaring me now." Harry said nervously.

"Don't stop her mate!" Ron protested, looking at Hermione with delight at Hermione's method of dealing with Malfoy. "I think it's a brilliant idea!"

"Yeah, but we have potions in a few minutes, and we'd better go now, if we don't want to be late." Harry pointed out.

Hermione let out a squeal of mortification and grabbed her potions books, and darted from the common room, the boys hot on her heels.

The arrived at the potions with seconds to spare, just making it through the door before a silent spell from Snape sent it slamming shut.

Hermione made to dart to her seat, but was stuck. Looking automatically up in fear, her eyes seeking out that awful plant that was the bane of everyone's existence at Hogwarts. To her relief, it wasn't there. It was just a few feet from her, but not over her. The problem turned out to be that her robe was caught in the door.

She tugged at it but it wouldn't come un-caught.

"Come on…stupid thing!" she grumbled, yanking at her robe.

"Is there a problem Miss Granger?" Snape asked condescendingly.

"Yes, as it so happens, there is Professor Snape!" Hermione replied, trying to be polite.

"It would seem that when you closed the door, I made it through safely, but my robe did not. I'm stuck Sir." She said, tugging at her robe in vain.

"Mr Malfoy, go and get Miss Granger unstuck." Snape said, sneering.

Malfoy rolled his eyes and got up, stalking towards Hermione.

"Stay away, I don't need your help!" Hermione snapped as he approached, yanking on her robe as though her life depended on it.

"Granger, I'm under orders here, so just shut up." Malfoy snapped as he came ever closer.

"STOP RIGHT THERE MALFOY!" Ron suddenly bellowed.

Malfoy spun around to give Ron a piece of his mind. "Just who do you think –"

"DON'T MOVE!" Ron shouted as Malfoy turned and took another step towards Hermione.

"Weasley, keep your freckly nose out of this!" Malfoy snarled.

"Mr Malfoy!" Snape said, his voice changing to concerned warning.

"Hermione! Move!" Harry suddenly cried spotting what Ron was worried about, and pointed to it.

Hermione looked up and saw that a sprig of the God forsaken plant had magically appeared above her.

In desperation, she yanked and pulled at her robe. "Please come out!" She muttered feverantly.

Malfoy was still coming. Everything seemed to move in slow motion now.

"Mr Malfoy!" Snape said louder, reaching his hand out, as though to stop Malfoy, but he was all the way across the classroom now, and it was too late to save him.

"Noooo!" Hermione wailed as she felt the spell take effect.

Malfoy stopped suddenly, feeling it also, and he recognized it immediately.

Snape sighed and sat on his desk, folding his arms. "Well, this will be interesting to say the least." He said quietly.

The whole class was gaping at them. What would happen? This was major! Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were positively drooling with anticipation. This would be hot gossip throughout the whole school and they will have been two of the 10 people to have witnessed it!

"You idiot!" Hermione screeched at him. "Why didn't you stop?"

Malfoy jumped to his own defense. "What? You think I'm going to listen to Weasley! Dream on Granger!"

"Well if you had, we wouldn't be in this predicament!" Hermione snapped. "Even Professor Snape tried to warn you!"

"Well, I couldn't hear him for all the screeching Weasley and Potter were doing!" Malfoy snapped back.

Hermione put her face in her hands and took a deep, calming breath. Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a moment, she would open them again to find it was all just a horrible nightmare and she would wake up in her warm bed in her dorm.

She foolishly believed this would work for a moment, that was until she removed her hands from her eyes only to find Malfoy looking furious and the rest of the class, including Snape, waiting for the inevitable.

"This isn't happening, this isn't happening!" Hermione chanted massaging her temples.

"Oh it's happening Granger. And it's all your fault too!" Malfoy coldly reminded her.

"My fault!" Hermione cried angrily "How is it my fault! You just came strolling right beneath it!"

"Yes well, like I said, I didn't believe Weasley or Potter." Malfoy said casually, examining his nails.

Hermione gave him a look of pure loathing, but didn't see any point in arguing. It wasn't going to help them now anyway.

"Well, lets get this over with Granger." Malfoy said staring hard at her.

Hermione folded her arms and nosed the air. "Sod off Malfoy."

"As much as I hate to interrupt this little romantic moment, I do have a class to be getting along with. Do hurry it up!" Snape said sharply, hoping to stir them into getting it over with.

Hermione looked Malfoy straight in the eye. "Don't you dare!"

"Sorry Granger, but I don't want to be stuck hear all day, I do have a life you know."  
Malfoy said moving forward.

"Back off Malfoy, I'll scream!" Hermione warned.

"Scream and I'll shut you up faster than you can say potions!" Snape warned.

"Then I'll hex him!" Hermione said brandishing her wand.

Suddenly it was whipped out of her hand and whirled across the room into Snape's waiting hand.

"You monster!" She cried at him.

Snape raised an eyebrow. "So sue me. Get on with it."

Ron and Harry made to move, but Snape put them both in a body bind spell.  
"Any other brave would be rescuers will get the same!" Snape warned everyone.

Hermione was trapped, with no way out. This mistletoe had to be the most evil thing on the face of the earth! How could Dumbledore do this to her!

"Ready Granger?" Malfoy said, standing so close to her she could feel the heat from his body.

"Never." She answered, glaring at him.

"Too bad." Malfoy said grabbing her and pulling her to him.  
She struggled to escape, but it was in vain, he was too strong, and being taller than her, had the advantage.

"Get away from me!" She cried, thrashing around as best she could, but he had her arms clamped down by her sides, so the thrashing had little effect.

Using one arm, Malfoy pinned her to his chest, with his free hand, he grabbed her chin and made her face him.

He took a moment to study her face. She had truly blossomed in the past year. Her skin was clear and smooth and creamy. Her lips were soft and pink.

His grey eyes moved to meet her brown ones. In them he saw defiance, fire and fear. As he leaned in, he saw a flicker of confusion.

He brushed his lips lightly over hers before bringing them crashing down to hers. Kissing her feircly.

She began struggling again immediately again, but not for long, she appeared to have trouble standing.

Hermione was so ashamed of herself! Her knees were going weak, and part of her was actually liking this! The other part wanted to run away and never have to come back! How was she going to face her friends after this? But Malfoy was doing something to her that she had never experienced before. She melted into his arms relaxing into the kiss.

Malfoy had planned on just kissing her briefly, making sure to put every ounce of hatred he had for her into it. But he became lost somewhere, and found himself to be still kissing her. Not that she appeared to mind. She was having trouble standing, and she had stopped struggling. Was she enjoying this as much as he was? He felt her go limp in his arms and he had to hold her up.

The class observed with jaws on the floor. At first it appeared as though there was a small battle going on between the two, then it all went strange. Hermione gave up the fight and Malfoy seemed to keep going!

Snape was in shock himself, but he didn't show it. He sat, waiting patiently for Draco to do whatever it was he had to do to get over this distressing jealousy he had developed.

Suddenly, it seemed the spell had broken, and they realized what they were doing and stopped, breathless.

They stared at each other in silence for a moment, before stepping away from each other.

Malfoy cleared his throat and let his legs carry him unsteadily back to his desk.

Hermione wasn't sure if her legs would support her, but she had to sit down, before she fell down.

What a kiss that had been!

She hated to admit it as she found her legs and made her wobbly way to sit between Ron and Harry who were gaping at her, but Malfoy was an amazing kisser!

She was blushing furiously and didn't raise her eyes from the desk, feeling the class's eyes on her. Braving it, she glanced up at Snape, to see if he was thinking of starting the lesson any time soon.

He was staring at her, a small frown of confusion on his face as his cobalt eyes darted between her and Malfoy, but he shook it off fast and stood up.  
"Well? What is everyone waiting for! Get your cauldrons ready. Today's potion is Veritaserum."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, so I apologise for it in advance. Writers block struck and I almost died from it, but I fought back and survived to write another chapter.**

Harry and Ron recovered slowly after what had just occurred, glancing at Hermione and each other every few minutes as they prepared to make the Veritaserum potion.

Hermione threw herself into her work, using it as an escape from the questioning glances that were thrown in her direction. She didn't want to think about what had just happened. She just wanted to make this potion and get the heck out of there so she could flee to the safety of her dorm room and hide for all eternity on her four poster bed with the curtains forever drawn.

But before she confined herself to a life of solitude in her bed, she chanced a glance up at Malfoy through the curtain of her hair as she stooped to start cutting up the ingredients.

His cheeks were flushed and he looked just as determined to use the art of potion making to escape his woes as she was.

Snape, meanwhile, was still looking thoughtfully and a little suspiciously at the two. He observed Malfoy keeping his eyes firmly on his ingredients, looking flushed and somewhat irritated. He was chopping his ingredients up savagely…the serpent tongues didn't stand a chance. Suddenly, he glanced over his shoulder, his eyes glaring at anyone who dared look at him. His eyes stopped on Granger for a moment. She must have known this, as she glanced up through her hair again. As soon as their eyes met, Granger ducked her head and snapped her eyes down to her work again, her cheeks flushing, and Malfoy turned back around so fast he almost overbalanced onto his flobberworm testicles, and manically started hacking them to bits.

Snape frowned again, pondering the two's actions. Surely it couldn't be what he thought it was. Surely not! It would be so wrong! Lucius would burst a blood vessel and Narcissa would surely die of heart failure should Draco be found to… he couldn't even bring himself to even think it!

Suddenly, a hand went in the air, distracting Snape from his troubled thoughts.  
"Yes what is it Miss Brown?" he snapped.

"Please Professor Snape, I think I may have made a mistake!" Lavender sqeaked as she looked down at her potion that was now a violent shade of purple and bubbling over onto her desk.

Beside her, Neville was looking horrified, and moved his cauldron as far away from Lavender's as possible. His potion had been going well, and he didn't want any of her purple stuff getting into his cauldron and messing his potion up!

Snape grunted in frustration and swept over to Lavender and stood over her glaring down his nose. "What did you do?" he demanded, looking at the potion that was now spitting.

Lavender looked forlornly at her ingredients and then at her cauldron, shaking her head.

"I…I-" she stammered.

"WHAT DID YOU DO GIRL?" Snape barked, causing everyone to flinch.

"I don't know!" Lavender cried hysterically. "I put all the ingredients in, and it just started doing this!"

"Did you put in the ingredients in the right order?" Snape demanded.

"I…think so," Lavender said slowly, looking stupidly at the irate potion.

Snape looked livid. "You _think_ so?" he seethed "Either you did or you didn't!"

Lavender shook her head. "I don't know for sure!" she said, looking frightened as Snape began to clench and unclench his fists and started grinding his teeth.

"Perhaps if you hadn't been so busy staring at Mr Malfoy and Miss Granger, instead of paying close attention to what you were doing with your ingredients, this wouldn't have happened!" Snape snapped.

At the mention of their names, Malfoy and Hermione both looked up enquiringly.

Lavender flushed a deep crimson and hung her head. "I…I'm sorry!" she said meekly.

"Sorry won't save Gryffindor from losing 30 points!" Snape growled, waving his wand making the potion vanish. "Now start again, and pay attention this time!" he said before sweeping off to investigate everyone else's potions.

Harry and Ron cast Lavender sympathetic looks, and returned to their work.

Hermione put up her hand. "Professor Snape?"

"Yes Miss Granger?" Snape replied.

"I've run out of crushed unicorn horn, may I please fetch some from the store cupboard?" Hermione asked politely.

Snape sighed, as though it bothered him greatly, which it did, but he really wanted her to know that. "Very well, if you must."

"Thank you Professor." Hermione said, getting up and walking over to the store cupboard, her head down and avoiding everyone's gaze. What she couldn't avoid however, were the whispers as she passed.

"Look! Her knees are still trembling!"

"Her lips look bruised! Wow, what a kisser Malfoy must be!"

"I'm going to have to ask him to give me lessons!"

"She's so lucky!"

Hermione firmly ignored them, she reached the cupboard, pulled the door open and stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

Once inside the cupboard, she took a moment to compose herself before looking for the ingredient she was in there for.

Her fingers ran across the bottles and jars of ingredients as she searched for the crushed unicorn horn, her lips silently wording them as she passed, but she couldn't concentrate. Malfoy kept popping into her mind.

Shaking her head to clear it, she resumed her search, but once again, her thoughts drifted.

"Oh for goodness sake girl, it wasn't that good of a kiss anyway!" she scolded herself in frustration.

Finally she found the thing she was looking for and grabbed it.  
She emerged from the store cupboard and returned to her cauldron where she added the missing ingredient that would complete her work.

"Mione." Ron whispered. "Mione!"

"What?" Hermione replied, frustrated at the interruption of her potion making.

"Are you alright?" Harry whispered.

"Of course I'm alright!" She hissed. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you just didn't seem alright after…you know." Ron answered.

"We'll talk about it later, right now, I just want to get this potion done!" Hermione whispered, turning back to her potion. In front of her desk, she saw the familiar black robes of Professor Snape, who was now standing over her, arms folded, looking as sour as ever, he gave her a glare before leaning over and peering into her cauldron.

"Ladle." He said quietly, holding out his hand.

Hermione handed him her glass ladle and he scooped up some of the crystal clear potion, holding it up at eye level so he could see better.  
Apparantly he could find no fault with it, as he handed the ladle over to her, still full of potion and stood smirking.

This unnerved Hermione. Why was he smirking like that. Snape never smirked!

She stared back at him questioningly.

Then, Snape pointed on slender finger over her shoulder. She turned and saw that he was pointing at Harry. Turning back to face Snape, she once again looked at him questioningly.

"Mr Potter will test your potion for us, Miss Granger." Snape elaborated.

Harry scowled. He was always being picked on by Snape, but at least he didn't have to try Ron's potion, or worse, Neville's, at least Hermione always got her potion's right, so he wasn't worried.

Hermione sighed and looked apologetically at Harry as she carried the ladle to him and held it up to his lips.

Harry drank the potion without hesitation, not really having anything he could think of that would hurt or offend anyone that he would blurt out.

Satisfied, Snape made Harry walk to the front of the classroom and stand there.

"I will now ask Mr Potter a few questions. Pay close attention when I ask the more difficult questions, the potion will force him to answer truthfully." He told the class, still smirking evilly.

The class's attention was riveted on Harry.

"Mr Potter, what do you think of my nose?" Snape asked.

"I think it's the biggest nose I've ever seen, and that's saying something, because I've seen some big noses in my time, Uncle Vernon's is pretty big but yours really takes the gold medal for huge noses Professor!" Harry answered.

The class gasped, the Gryffindor's were trying not to laugh out loud, and the Slytherins were looking rather amused themselves.

Inwardly, Snape said "Crap!" he hadn't banked on Harry's answer being so long.

Outwardly he appeared smug and cool as he moved on to the next question.

"And what do you think of Mr Malfoy?" Snape asked.

Harry paused. "Which one? Elder or Junior?" he asked.

"Junior." Snape answered.

"I don't like him." Harry answered. "He's a nasty, stuck up ferret. Ron and I were just discussing the other day how overbearing he can be, strutting around the school ordering people around. Of course, it's not really his fault is it?"

"What do you mean?" Snape asked curiously. He was curious as to why Harry didn't really blame Draco for being the way he was.

Malfoy who was scowling before, now practically had one eye popping out of it's socket from sheer surprise. His eyebrows were out of alignment too. One was still scowling, the other had almost disappeared into his hair.

"Well I mean that his father has to be to blame for the way he treats people. I'm secretly suspicious that his father is cruel to him at home, and Malfoy treats other people that way to feel like he has some power, as he feels powerless at home. It's all just a bully mentality that he has going on. I sort of have those suspicions about you too Professor. Were you abused as a child or are you this way naturally?" Harry babbled.

"No, I wasn't." Snape sniffed. "Moving on to the next two questions, then we'll have some questions from the rest of the class."

Harry shrugged. "Sure, why not."

"What do you think of this new Mr Goldwater?" Snape asked, smirking evilly. Perhaps he would get some answers from Potter.

At the sound of his name, Hermione smiled and felt fuzzy and warm.

"Well, to be honest, and let's face it I don't really have an option to be anything but honest, I think there's something weird about him! I can't quite tell you what it is exactly, but I can try…it's sort of like he's put Hermione under some sort of spell or something. I don't know how else to explain it." Harry said. "She acts all weird around him, it's almost like she's in another world…or in some sort of hypnotic-"

"Trance." Snape and Malfoy said together.

"Yes that's it!" Harry said excitedly. "I'm so glad you can see it too. I thought I was the only one!"

Snape and Malfoy exchanged glances. It all made sense now! That had to be it! That's how Goldwater had managed to get Granger fawning all over him from day one! Now all they had to do was figure out why.

"Any ideas on why he'd want to do that?" Snape asked hopefully.

"Nope. I have no idea." Harry replied frowning in frustration "But dash it all I want to know!"

"Join the club Potter." Malfoy muttered.

"Okay, other questions from the class before the potion wears off?" Snape said turning and addressing the class.

Hands shot up everywhere, many of his classmates had been waiting for this moment for six years.

"Miss Parkinson." Snape said choosing the first one.

"Potter, is it true that you once talked about Draco rather romantically in your sleep and that it's the best kept Gryffindor secret ever to exist because your roommates heard you?"

Harry looked affronted. "No it is not true!" he snapped.

Pansy looked let down.

"Interesting, next!" Snape barked "Mr Zabini!"

"Potter, do you fancy Cho Chang anymore?" Blaise asked.

"No, she cries too much and frankly I can't tell you what I was when I did fancy her!" Harry replied.

"Cool, then you don't mind if I ask her out then?" Blaise checked. "You won't hex me or something?"

"Nope, feel free." Harry answered.

Blaise grinned happily.

"Miss Brown." Snape said.

"How would you feel if I said that I want to have your babies?" Lavender breathed dreamily.

Harry winced. "I'd say I'd rather you didn't if it's all the same to you. You aren't a girl whom I'd consider anything more than a friend." Harry replied.

Lavender pouted, and Parvati patted her on the arm comfortingly.

"There's always Draco." She said soothingly.

"Ha! Fat chance!" Malfoy snorted in disgust.

"Miss Patil?" Snape said, getting the class back on track.

"Oh, right you are Professor!" Parvati said, taken by surprise to be chosen next. "Umm, Harry, if you could choose whom you would be caught under the mistletoe with, who would it be?"  
There was sudden extreme interest and a few "ooh's" from the girls in the class was to be heard.

Harry looked thoughtful. "Do you mean from this school, or just anyone in general?"

"From this school." Parvati answered.

"I'm going to regret ever answering this, but I don't have any choice in the matter…" Harry said resignedly looking at Ron apologetically.

"Answer the question Potter!" Snape snapped impatiently. He wanted to move on to the next pupil!

"Ginny Weasley!" Harry said.

"Oh this is too good!" Malfoy said grinning and turning around to see Ron's reaction.

"WHAT!" Ron squawked "You want to kiss my sister?"

"Yes. I have for ages. I just didn't want to say or do anything in case it made you mad!" Harry said calmly. "Sorry you had to find out this way Ron."  
Ron spluttered for a few moments, when suddenly his expression relaxed. "Well I suppose it's alright really, I mean, it's better than that last bloke she was with! Mum will be pleased too, she really likes you."

Malfoy looked disappointed that Ron was taking it so well.

"So we're alright?" Harry asked Ron.

"Yeah, course we are!" Ron said smiling.

"I hate to break up this warm and tender moment, but I'd really like to get on with this class!" Snape barked.

"Oh, yeah, right." Harry said, cheerfully going back to his seat.

"Miss Granger." Snape said, pouring some of her potion into a vial.

When he heard no response from her, he looked up.

She was daydreaming again, her eyes soft and a smile on her face.

"Miss Granger!" He said a little more forcefully.

Still no response.

Losing what little patience he possessed, Snape marched over to her and grabbed her roughly by the arm and hauled her to her feet.

"OUCH! What the…" Hermione cried in fright, then she realized that she hadn't been paying attention. "Professor?"

"Pay attention girl! And ten points from Gryffindor for daydreaming in my class!" Snape snarled as he drug her up to the front of the class and pushed her roughly onto a stool, then he shoved the vial into her hands.

"Drink it." He ordered.

Hermione did as he requested and drank the vial of veretaserum.

As the potion took effect, she felt relaxed and serene.

"Now, Miss Granger, I have a few questions for you." Snape said importantly.

"Yes Professor?" Hermione asked cheerfully. It was truly a wonderful feeling not having to care anymore!

"What is it that you feel towards this Mr Goldwater?" Snape said straightaway.  
Hermione hesitated. Suddenly she did care that Snape wanted to know her private thoughts, especially the ones about Lucas.

Snape frowned. The potion should be forcing her to talk, yet somehow, she was able to hesitate!

"Miss Granger?" Snape prompted.

"I….I…why do you want to know?" She squeaked. It was apparently taking great effort to resist the potion.

Snape's frown deepened "Something isn't right here." He murmered.

"Class is over! Class dismissed!" Snape barked.

"What about Mione!" Ron demanded.

"I shall deal with Miss Granger, Mr Weasley, now go!" Snape snapped.

The class filed out, but Malfoy, Blaise and Pansy remained behind.

Hermione was shaking from the exhortation it was taking to resist the potion. She didn't know why she was resisting it, it just seemed as though she really had to, like it was really important that she didn't answer that question.

Snape paced back and forth "This shouldn't be happening." He said in frustration. "The potion works fine, we tested it on Potter!"

"Professor?" Malfoy asked, frowning in concern. "What's happening? Why is the potion not working?"

"I don't know!" Snape murmered. "We have to snap her out of it." He decided suddenly.

He didn't want to have to do this in front of the class again, but they didn't remember the first time he had done it, he had wiped their memories of the last time, but he didn't want to have to do it again, so he dismissed them. Dumbledore was going to want to speak with him afterwards, but it was the only way to get Granger to stop fighting the potion. Break her concentration. But he had to move quickly.

Hermione hadn't seen anything as her eyes were still tightly shut in concentration of not answering the question and so didn't know that the class had gone.

Snape, aware that three of his students remained, addressed them.

"I apologize to all three of you in advance for what I am about to do. I will explain to you why I had to do it as soon as Miss Granger is well again." He informed them.

With that said, he suddenly spun around and slapped Hermione soundly across the face.

The force of the impact of his hand was such that Hermione cried out in pain and was sent sprawling from her stool, landing on the floor dazed and shaken.

Malfoy leapt to his feet, pale and shaking, not believing what just happened.

Snape shook his stinging hand before reaching down to help the trembling girl to her feet. "Come on now, stand up." He said quietly, grabbing her arm and urging her up. "You are quite alright Miss Granger."

"You struck her!" Malfoy squawked hysterically "I can't believe you just did that!"

"It had to be done Draco!" Snape said calmly, sitting Hermione back on her stool again.

Hermione was holding a pale shaking hand to her cheek, where a good sized bruise was forming, her eyes glazed and blank.

"What do you care Draco?" Pansy said suddenly from behind him, remnants of a satisfied smirk still lingering on her face. "She deserves it anyway. Saves me having to do it!"

Something in Malfoy snapped. He whirled around and before Pansy only had time to let her smirk fall from her face before… **SLAP**. The force knocked her into Blaise who fell to the floor with her, then lay looking horrified up at Malfoy.

Malfoy stared at his shaking hand in fear and confusion. What had he just done? He had struck a woman. Sure, it was Pansy and she could use a good slap now and then, but he never thought he'd be the one to do it!

'Father would be so proud.' He thought bitterly.

At the sound of the Slap, Snape had spun around, shocked to the core to see that Draco had delivered the blow to Pansy. He sighed and stepped over to Draco.

Malfoy was still staring down at his hand, horrified, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Looking up, he saw Snape standing there, looking pitying.

"Go and tend to Miss Granger, Draco. I shall see to Miss Parkinson. We shall talk about this later" Snape said softly.

Malfoy swallowed and nodded, staggering over to Hermione who was still holding her bruised and throbbing cheek. The potion was still in effect, but judging by the blank expression on her face, she had given up fighting it.

"Granger?" Malfoy said quietly, in a shaking voice. "Help me."

Hermione was still staring into nothing, but she answered him.

"What is it Malfoy?" she asked softly.

"I just slapped Pansy. I struck a girl!" Malfoy whispered in a panicking tone.

"What should I do?"

"Say you're sorry." Hermione replied, still gazing into space. "Say you didn't mean it."

Malfoy searched her face. "But…if I'm honest…I did sort of mean it!" he whispered.

"Then what are you so upset about Malfoy?" Hermione asked softly, turning her eyes to him.

"I…can't…I hate myself for it!" he replied in anguish. "My father hits my mother, and I swore I would never be like him!"

"Then don't be." Hermione told him, her voice still soft.

Knowing she was under Veretaserum, Malfoy decided to ask her a few questions.

"Granger, do you think I am like my father?"

Hermione was quiet for a moment. Malfoy almost thought she was resisting the potion again, but she answered suddenly, in that same soft voice.

"No. I don't think you are. I did once. I thought you'd end up just like him. But for some reason, I believe in you. I believe you can be who you want to be." Hermione said in a whispering voice.

Malfoy felt relief sweep through him. Someone believed he could be different from his father. Someone believed he could be himself, and not just any someone, Hermione Granger!

"Granger, what is it with you and Goldwater?" Malfoy asked next.

"I hate it." Was her sudden whispered reply.

"What?" Malfoy asked, looking at her in surprise.

"I hate it." She repeated. "it frightens me."

"What does?" Malfoy asked

"The feeling." She answered "Make it stop." She said begging him with her eyes.

Malfoy was getting worried. "Professor!" he called suddenly, not taking his eyes off of Hermione.

Snape instructed Blaise to hold the ice pack to Pansy's face.

"Yes Mr Malfoy?" he asked.

"I think you'd better come hear this. She isn't making much sense." Malfoy replied.

Snape hurried over to the two and stood in front of Hermione.

"Miss Granger? What is it? Tell us more." Snape spoke softly.

"I don't like it." She said sorrowfully. "It's frightening."

"What is?" Snape asked, frowning in confusion.

"The feeling." She repeated.

"What feeling?" Malfoy asked.

"I don't know." Hermione whimpered.

She wasn't making much sense at all.

"What did you ask her?" Snape asked Malfoy.

"I asked what it was going on with her and Goldwater, and she started saying this stuff!" Malfoy replied.

"Make it stop Professor! I don't want it anymore." Hermione whimpered.

"Make what stop?" Snape demanded.

"I don't know!" Hermione said in frustration.

"How can I help if you don't know what you are talking about!" Snape snapped, exasperated.

They fell silent, Hermione staring blankly ahead, Malfoy and Snape trying to figure out what the hell she was talking about.

Finally they agreed that they should just give up.

Snape supplied Hermione with and antidote to the Veretaserum, which she gladly took.

"I have plenty of the stuff now, I shall find a way to interregate the boy." Snape told Malfoy.

"Okay, let me know what you find out." Malfoy said, feeling a little depressed.

He mooched over to Pansy and Blaise.

They glared at him.

"Look what you did to my beautiful face Draco!" Pansy hissed at him, taking the ice pack away to reveal a bruise to rival Hermione's.

"Yes, about that….I'm sorry." Malfoy said guiltily. "I didn't mean to, I just got so angry."

"Yes, but why? You don't normally get angry about stuff like that, you normally cheer along when Granger get's what's coming to her!" Blaise pointed out.

"I know, it's just that….I don't know! I just didn't think it would affect me seeing Professor Snape strike her like that. It reminded me of my mother and father." Malfoy said, hanging his head.

Pansy put an hand on his arm. "It's okay Drakie, I understand." She said quietly. "I forgive you. I know you didn't mean to harm me."

Malfoy smiled weakly. "Thanks Pans."

Blaise thumped him on the back. "Okay, lets blow this joint and head to the Common room. We still don't have dates for the ball, and it's only a few days away."

"Oh No!" Malfoy gasped slapping a hand to his head. "I forgot all about it! Listen, you two go ahead, I'll meet you in the common room."

Blaise and Pansy nodded and left.

Malfoy dashed over to Snape, who was trying to make a very reproachful Hermione's bruise disappear.

Malfoy pushed Snape's wand away and got out his own. He muttered a quick spell and the bruise vanished.

"How did you…" Snape said said incredulously.

"I overheard my mother use it all the time." Malfoy said waving his hand carelessly.

"If you don't mind, I should like to leave now." Hermione huffed. "And what's more, you shan't be seeing me tomorrow in class Professor."

"Why is that Miss Granger." Snape asked wearily.

"After the day I've had, I'm going to take a day to relax and try and forget everything that happened!" Hermione sniffed, getting down from the stool.

"Oh yes, that reminds me…" Snape said raising his wand again "Obliviate."

Hermione went stiff for a second, then relaxed.

"Oh hello Professor." She greeted. "Is class over already?"

"Yes, Miss Granger, you are dismissed." Snape replied.

"Thank you Professor." Hermione replied before leaving, a little unsteady on her feet.

As soon as she had gone, Malfoy turned to Snape. "Will you stop doing that! How do you know that doesn't permanently damage her brain or something?"

Snape waved his hand around "Oh please, do you think they'd make it a legal spell if it did permanent damage?"

"Good point. Now, I came over here again to remind you about the ball that's in a few days time." Malfoy said anxiously.

"And you are worried why?" Snape asked in a bored tone.

"Don't you see? He'll ask her to go with him, and who knows what will happen! He could be planning something!"

"Good thinking Draco." Snape said thoughtfully. "Well, we cannot stop the inevitable, but we can intervene. We must try and keep them apart as much as possible. Tail her Draco, don't let her out of your site." Snape said importantly. "That way he cannot try anything. Meanwhile, I am going to try and find out what he is up to."

"Okay, laters Professor!" Malfoy said before leaving.


	10. Chapter 10

Three days had passed since the potions incident. Hermione was still blissfully unaware of any mishap, and only Snape, Draco, Pansy and Blaise knew what had happened.

The last thing that Hermione remembered was the Mistletoe incident with Malfoy, and she had believed that Snape had ended potions early for some personal reason or another.

She had also successfully avoided Malfoy for three days now, only seeing him in the great hall for meals, and classes, where she would sit as far away from him as possible, and leave before he even got near the door.

Something was bothering her however. She had the feeling she was being watched wherever she went, with the exception of the Gryffindor common room. That seemed to be the only place she felt like she wasn't being watched. It was a very creepy feeling. On more than one occasion, she swore she saw a shadow, or heard something behind her when the corridor should have been deserted, but she'd turned around to catch whoever it was, but there would be no one there.

She shrugged it off and put it down to mild paranoia as she walked to potions with Harry and Ron.

"Transfiguration was boring!" Ron whined "I wanted to do some…y'know…transfiguring! I can't believe we got stuck with taking notes today!"

"Yeah, well, cheer up Ron!" Harry told his downcast friend cheerfully "We have potions next, and you never know…Snape might just test a potion on Malfoy this time!"

"Yeah, like that'll ever happen!" Ron grunted.

They arrived at the potions room, taking great care to avoid the mistletoe that hung in the doorway. Hermione shuddered as she went through. That confounded Mistletoe was the one that had caught her and Malfoy beneath it's green and white self!

Surprisingly, and to her great relief, Malfoy had not yet arrived.

Cheerfully, Hermione made her way to her seat and set up her cauldron.

Snape was waving his wand around in front of the blackboard at the front of the class, casting onto it the day's potion instructions.

Everyone knew the routine, and started copying the instructions down.

Snape turned to begin the class, but Pansy's hand went up in the air.

"Miss Parkinson?" Snape enquired.

"Please Professor, where is Draco? Shouldn't we wait for him to arrive?" Pansy asked, sounding worried.

"Mr Malfoy will be here soon, I…sent him on an errand." Snape said dismissively.

"Now, today's potion is a complicated one, so pay attention. I don't expect many of you will get it right, however, I do expect a certain level of intelligence from you all. Get started." Snape instructed.

Malfoy arrived just as they were starting and dashed to his seat. "Sorry Professor, got held up a little." He said wincing and wiping his mouth.

"Let me guess, the mistletoe?" Snape said quietly.

Malfoy made a face. "mmyesss! When is that crackpot old fool going to take the bloody stuff down?" he whined.

Snape shrugged. "How should I know?"

Malfoy sighed and got to work on his potion.

"Anything to report?" Snape's voice suddenly said in Draco's head.

"Well, I found out that she likes to sing when she's alone, or thinks she's alone!" Draco replied in his head.

There was a snort from Snape. "With regards to the Lucas boy." He prompted.

"She met him yesterday on the way to charms. She had the same dazed expression the minute he was in her vicinity. He seemed a bit adgitated about something, and Granger seemed to be resisting something too, she had that same pained expression as she did three days ago in here right before you smacked her in the chops. Other than this, nothing." Draco replied.

"Very well, thank you Draco." Snape said before walking off.

Malfoy got on with his potion.

The class worked quietly, they knew better by now than to chat in Snape's class.

Halfway through her potion making, Hermione reached for the crushed unicorn horn and grabbed the vial, tipping it into her potion, but none came out. Taking her eyes from the potion, she looked at her vial of Crushed unicorn horn, and sighed when she saw that she was clean out.

She put up her hand to Get Snape's attention.

"Yes Miss Granger, what is it?" Snape asked irritably.

"Please Professor, I have run out of Unicorn Horn, may I go and get some more from your stores please?" Hermione answered.

"Very well." Snape sighed waving dismissively at his store cupboard.

Hermione got up and went into the store cupboard and began her search for the missing ingredient.

She had trouble focusing however, as Malfoy kept popping into her mind, replaying the scene from three days ago beneath that confounded mistletoe.

She shook her head to clear it and continued her search. But a few seconds later, there was the scene again.

"Oh for goodness sake girl, it wasn't that good of a kiss anyway!" She scolded herself.

"Your reactions proved otherwise." Came a voice.

Gasping in surprise, she whirled around to see Malfoy standing there.

"Malfoy! You startled me…I was just…" Hermione stammered, backing up as he moved toward her.

"Just what?" Malfoy questioned "Talking to yourself?"

"N..no! I was trying to find the unicorn horn for my potion!" She replied in a shaky voice and blushing furiously.

Malfoy stared at her for a moment, before looking around at nothing in particular and there was an uncomfortable silence.

"Why are you in here?" Hermione finally asked, trying to sound un-fazed.

"I ran out of powdered chrysanthemum." Came his reply.

"I think I saw it here somewhere, hang on." Hermione said turning back to the shelves and retracing her search.

"Ah!" She exclaimed turning back to him "Here it – Oh my!" she gasped. Malfoy was mere inches from her, his silvery eyes fixed on her.

For a moment Hermione stared back, her mouth open in a surprised 'oh', unable to look away. She finally found herself again and backed into the shelf.

"Um…here it is." She finished timidly, holding the jar out to him and looking down at her shoes.

She felt Malfoy move closer. Her heart was threatening to beat its way out of her chest. She had to escape. This was too scary!

She sidled to the side, trying to inch her way to freedom, but he put a hand out and leaned on the shelf on either side of her head, preventing her escape.

Hermione still avoided his eyes, fixing her eyes on the door. How could she get there? What the hell was Malfoy doing? Please someone, anyone, come to her rescue!

Malfoy placed a finger under her chin and made her look at him.

She looked at him, there was something she had never seen before in his eyes, and she couldn't quite place what it was. They were soft, yet firm and intense.

She was quite literally helpless. Trapped. She wanted to run away, back to safety and where things made sense. None of this made any sense to her! But yet there was a small part of her that wanted to see what was going to happen…but it was a very, very small part.

"Wh…what do you want?" she said in a scared whisper.

As if to answer, Malfoy leaned in.

'Oh merlin no!' Hermione's mind screamed 'kick him where it hurts then book it! It's our only chance of survival!' She was trembling violently now, and she was sure that Malfoy could feel it.

He was inches from her, his breath playing on her lips.

Hermione was so scared she dropped the jar she was holding and it smashed on the floor.

But it didn't interrupt anything. Malfoy merely paused to glance down at it, before resuming his agonizingly slow descent.

Just when Hermione thought her fate was sealed and she squeezed her eyes shut, awaiting the inevitable…

"What the – "

'Professor! I've never been so happy to see you! Now there, Hermione, is a clever spud of a man!' Hermione's mind cried.

Hermione felt weak with relief as she saw Snape standing there, looking at Malfoy questioningly.

Malfoy turned his head to look at Snape and Hermione stared at him over Malfoy's shoulder.  
Snape jerked his head in the direction of the door.

Hermione didn't need any more prompting. She bolted out under Malfoy's arm and squeezed past Snape, desperate for freedom. She'd thank him later…maybe buy him some new potion related stuff, or something.

Snape let the door close, as he stared at Malfoy.

"Draco what were you doing?" Snape demanded.

Malfoy put his face in his hands and rubbed his eyes. "I don't know!" he replied, frustrated. "I came in here for a potions ingredient, and she was here looking for the unicorn horn…I… I don't know why I did it!"

"Okay, let's just calm down for a moment and think about this." Snape said trying to calm his godson.

Malfoy took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind.

"Now, could it be that you are a little jealous of this Mr Goldwater, and this is your way of obtaining victory over him?" Snape suggested.

Malfoy looked so offended, Snape didn't press that one further, but he knew he was getting close to the truth.

"Then what was that I just walked in on?" Snape demanded, getting angry.

"I don't know!" Malfoy insisted, running a hand through his hair. "Oh great! Look what you made me do!" he snapped, "Now my hair is messed up!"

"Forget your hair, I think it's your head that's messed up!" Snape pointed out. "Were you going to kiss her Draco?"

Malfoy hung his head. "The thought did cross my mind, yes!"

Snape shook his head, trying to make sense of it all. "Being forced to kiss her under the mistletoe is one thing Draco, but to do it willingly….I don't know what to think of this!"

"Well that makes two of us then doesn't it." Malfoy sneered.

"Don't you take that tone with me boy, you aren't too old for a good whipping." Snape warned.

Malfoy grunted in response.

There was a moment of silence before Snape spoke again. "Do you feel something for her?"

"Why are you so worried about this!" Malfoy demanded, flaring up. "What does it matter if I kissed her?"

"It matters greatly Draco!" Snape replied, also getting heated. "Your father would avada himself if he had witnessed what we all just did when you were under that damn mistletoe! Don't think for a moment that no-one saw what your reaction was! And what's more! She's a Gryffindor! Slytherin's and Gryffindor's do not have any kind of relationships! They don't even grunt at each other in the school corridors!"

"Who said anything about a relationship?" Malfoy squawked, his eyes bulging in indignation.

Snape blinked in surprise. "You were going to kiss her, I assumed you were looking for some sort of relationship with her."

"Well you assumed wrong! You saw her reaction, she didn't want me!" Malfoy said turning away from Snape and punching the shelf, and managed to hit a glass jar full of something slimy, watching with some sort of satisfaction as it hit the floor with a squelch.

"Please do not assult my ingredients, Draco…it took me months to collect those mermaid scales." Snape said wearily, flicking his wand and everything went back into the jar which repaired itself.

Snape studied his godson, recognizing the family resemblance between father and son as Draco stood, his shoulders hunched and in a brooding stance. Lucius had reacted exactly the same way when Narcissa had rejected him rather brutally while they were at school. And even then, Snape had been there to pick up the pieces, put him back together and give dear Lucius the strength to try again.

But this was different, Lucius had at least fallen for someone in Slytherin, and equal to his class. Narcissa was a pureblood, from a rich family, and Lucius had fallen head over heels after just one kiss beneath an enchanted mistletoe.

"Draco, I know what you are feeling right now. Rejection is never pleasant, but it must smart worse coming from a muggleborn Gryffindor." Snape said quietly.

Malfoy snorted. "Yes, how pathetic is that?"

"Very." Snape answered.

"Thanks, you really know how to make a bloke feel better!" Malfoy quipped sarcastically.

"Draco, what are you so upset about? There's plenty more fish in the sea." Snape offered.

Malfoy was silent for a moment. Snape saw a flicker of something in his eyes, but it was too quick to name.

"That's true, and I am young." Malfoy agreed.

Snape nodded. "Yes."

"And I am handsome, and rich," Malfoy went on, starting to cheer up.

Snape hesitated before agreeing.

"I could have any girl I want." Malfoy declared.

"Yes you can." Snape agreed again.

"But that's the problem." Malfoy said darkly, drooping again.

"Problem?" Snape questioned.

"Yes, problem." Malfoy repeated.

"Care to elaborate?" Snape sighed.

"How long have you got?" Malfoy snorted.

"Hold that thought." Snape instructed, turning and sticking his head out of the door.

"Alright, class is ending early, get out!" He snarled at the class.

They didn't need telling twice, leaving everything where it was, they all got up and herded out of the door.

"Now I have all the time you need." Snape told Malfoy, smirking.

Hermione was still shaking when she had reached the Gryffindor Common room. She shouldn't have run out of class like she did. Snape was going to be furious! But she just had to escape. Malfoy had surprised her and she didn't like surprises, especially of that nature!

She had reached the Fat lady in a state of despair.

"Whatever is the matter dear?" the portrait had asked soothingly.

"Draco Malfoy just tried to kiss me!" Hermione had squeaked out in reply.

"Oh that's so nice!" The fat lady said cheerfully. "It's just like Romeo and Juliet! Each of you from two warring houses!"

"It's not nice at all! It's awful! Please just let me in!" Hermione cried desperately.

"Oh alright!" Snapped the portrait before swinging open. "But you should know that there's a lot of girls who would love to be in your position!" she added.

Hermione was now to be found, twenty minutes later, curled up on the sofa hugging a cushion and staring into the fire wondering how she was ever going to face anyone again.

She heard voices approaching the portrait and thought it wise to duck out of site, so she ran and hid behind a curtain.

Suddenly the portrait opened again and Lavender and Parvati came rushing in, babbling excitedly.

"I think Malfoy went in there on purpose!" Lavender said excitedly.

"Of course he did, he needed to get an ingredient!" Parvati said level headedly.

"Oh yeah right!" Lavender scoffed. "He went in there to finish what he started three days ago! Don't you tell me that he didn't know Hermione was in there!"

"Yeah, well, whatever happened in there, Hermione obviously didn't like it. Did you see the way she ran out of there!" Parvati said sympathetically, "I've never seen her look so…I don't even know how to describe it!"

"That could be because Snape intervened, you know. Or perhaps…he tried his own luck with her!" Lavender gasped.

Parvati looked horrified. "You have a horrible imagination Lav! Poor Hermione!"

"Okay so maybe I took that one too far, but I really do think that Malfoy was finishing what he started under that mistletoe!" Lavender said waving a hand around.

"Well we don't know for sure, I'm still willing to believe that it's all innocent and Hermione just so happened to be in there when Malfoy went to look for his ingredient." Parvati said firmly.

"Then what took so long?" Lavender challenged.

"Maybe Malfoy couldn't find it!" Parvati answered.

"And Snape?" Lavender added.

"Went to see what was taking so long and decided to help them look for their ingredients." Parvati replied, looking rather pleased with herself for meeting the challenge and beating it.

"Ah ha, then why did Hermione run out of there like a bat out of hell?" Lavender smirked.

Parvati couldn't answer that one really. "Maybe she really had to pee." She suggested lamely.

Behind the curtain, Hermione winced. What kind of answer was that!

Lavender laughed. "Yeah, okay whatever! She was running from Malfoy's luuuuurve!"

Parvati giggled.

Even Hermione tried not to laugh. It was just the way Lavender said that made it funny, but the situation was really quite serious.

She heard Harry and Ron enter the common room.

"Hey have you two seen Hermione?" Harry asked, sounding concerned.

"No, we thought she'd be with you!" Parvati replied.

"Nope, not with us." Ron said sarcastically.

"There's no need to be rude!" Parvati said reproachfully.

"Just ignore him, we are trying to find Hermione, she ran out of potions looking upset. We just want to know why and if we can help." Harry continued.

"Yes, we have a few theories on that." Lavender said, smirking.

Hermione's heart leaped into her mouth. If Harry and Ron heard Lavender's theory, which was technically true, they would have a fit!

"Lav No!" Parvati gasped. "You mustn't!"

Hermione shook her head in agreement with Parvati

"Tell us!" Ron urged. "Any info helps!"

"Okay, you'd better sit down boys, this is going to shock you!" Lavender said gleefully.

Hermione heard Harry and Ron sit down.

"Okay, so, " Lavender said sounding very 'valley girl' "Here's what I think happened in that store cupboard…"

Hermione covered her face with her hands in woe as Lavender repeated her theory to Harry and Ron.

When she was finished, Ron immediately began ranting.

"Wait until I get my hands on him! That slimy ferret! How dare he do that!" Ron bellowed, throwing cushions around.

"Ron, Calm down, that's ridiculous Lavender!" Harry stated.

"I beg your pardon?" Lavender said, looking offended.

"Well it's just that it's Malfoy! He wouldn't voluntarily kiss Hermione, they hate each other! It doesn't make any sense!" Harry explained.

Hermione thanked Merlin that Harry was willing to look at it that way, but she felt guilty that he was wrong. But she was just as confused as he was about it. She would confide in him later, when they were alone. She could trust Harry with her life, he would listen! She would tell him everything, and he would help her get out of the mess she found herself in.

There was a knock at the portrait hole, interrupting the discussion and Harry got up to answer it.

"Hello, I'm looking for Hermione." A familiar voice said.

Hermione felt a shock go through her. Lucas.

It took a lot of willpower for Hermione to resist the urge to run to him.

"She's not here. I don't know where she is, none of us do. She got upset in Potions and ran out." Harry told him.

"Strange. I hope everything is alright." Lucas said strangely. "Well, thanks anyway." He said and left.

Hermione felt a wave of relief wash over her.

"Well, we'd best go look for her again." Harry said decidedly.

There was a murmer of agreement.

"We'll check the girls bathroom." Parvati offered.

"Great. We'll check the library." Harry said.

With that, the search party left.

Hermione jumped up and ran up to her dorm room. She felt guilty that her friends were out searching for her, and she had been there all along, but she really couldn't face anyone yet.

She sat and thought about her situation. At first, Lucas had seemed sweet and gentlemanly, but after a while it started getting strange. She didn't like the feeling he caused in her, the way her mind went blank. It sometimes felt like she was trapped inside her mind and had no control of her body or what she said. It frightened her. She had tried to tell Professor Snape when he asked, but the words wouldn't come out, although she had been screaming the answer to his question at him with her mind, her mouth and voice refused to co-operate! She longed to tell someone about it so they could rescue her! But it was hopeless, Lucas had some sort of control over her and there was nothing she could do about it. She had spent hours in the library researching it, but she didn't know what it was he had done to her, so she couldn't find anything that would help.

Then there was Malfoy! What was his deal? Why was he so concerned all of a sudden? Yet when he had offered to take her to the ball, she desperately wanted to say yes, just to get out of going with Lucas, but again, her voice wouldn't co-operate, and instead, a stream of insults and brutal rebuffing came out instead.

She knew that Malfoy Suspected something weird was going on, that's why he had told her that he didn't trust Lucas and she shouldn't either. But he didn't know that she wanted to agree with him, but couldn't as she was practically a prisoner in her own mind.

And still she couldn't figure out why Malfoy wanted to help. Nothing made sense anymore!

She didn't know how long she had been lost in thought for, when suddenly she heard footsteps running up the stairs. The door burst open and Parvati entered.

Her eyes fell on Hermione and she looked relieved. "Oh Hermione there you are! We've been so worried about y-" Parvati stopped when she saw Hermione's tears. "Oh Hermione!" she said compassionately, and ran to sit beside her, hugging her.

Hermione accepted the friendly comforting hug, and cried even more.

"What happened?" Parvati asked, wiping Hermione's tears with a hankerchief she'd conjured up.

"I don't know!" Hermione sniffed. "One minute I was alone, the next thing I know, Malfoy's there!"

"Go on." Parvati said, urging her to continue.

"Then he…he tried to kiss me again!" Hermione said sniffling loudly, starting to tear up again. She hated being confused.

Parvati's eyes went wide, but then she relaxed. "It's not so bad. There are loads of girls in this school who would have given anything to be in your shoes!"

"I know, that's what makes it worse!" Hermione croaked. "I didn't want to be in my shoes at that time! Why didn't one of those girls step in!"

"Well, because they couldn't!" Parvati pointed out.

"It frightened me, Parvati. I didn't know what was happening! Part of me wanted to run, but part of me wanted to see what would happen!" Hermione said, her face flaring, then she looked ashamed. "Does that make me a horrible person?" She asked softly.

Parvati laughed. "No, silly! It makes you a girl! Of course you wanted to see what would happen, any girl would! Don't worry about that!"

This reassurance seemed to calm Hermione down, and she smiled back at her friend. "Thanks Parvati."

"Anytime Hermione." Parvati said, giving Hermione another hug.

"Oh, just one thing!" Hermione said, her eyes widening in fear again.

"What?" Parvati asked, her brow knitting in concern.

"Please don't tell anyone what I've said! If this gets out, my life will be officially over!" Hermione pleaded.

"Your secret is safe with me." Parvati said, crossing her heart.

"Thanks." Hermione said with relief.

"Now, lets go and let everyone know you are safe and sound."

Hermione wiped her eyes and used a freshen up spell on her face. Then she followed Parvati out of the Dorm room feeling as though part of the weight on her shoulders had been lifted.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11.

Hermione followed Parvati into the common room and everyone present gasped half with relief and half frustration that she'd been so close the whole time.

Harry and Ron rushed forward and embraced her.

"Mione we were so worried! Don't you do that again!" Ron scolded.

"Yes dad." Hermione said sarcastically, but she smiled at him to let him know she was kidding.

"You were up there the whole time?" Harry exclaimed in exasperation.

"Yes." Hermione replied. "I needed to be alone for a while."

"Well you could have just said!" Lavender Squawked. "We would have left you alone!"

Parvati and Hermione shot Lavender a 'yeah, right' look and that shut Lavender up fast.

"Anyway, what time is it?" Hermione asked changing the subject.

Harry looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. "It's six thirty." He answered.

Ron's Stomach gave a loud rumble. "Right on schedule! Dinner!" he said enthusiastically.

There was a rolling of eyes and groans.

"Well come on! We'll miss it and then I'll be well mad!" Ron declared heading for the portrait hole.

The others followed.

Lavender fell into step beside Hermione and Parvati. "Hey." She said by way of greeting.

"Hey." The two girls replied in response, but they both knew what was coming.  
"Before you ask, Lav, She doesn't want to talk about it." Parvati said firmly.

Lavender looked put out.

"Don't worry Lavender, You'll find out soon. I promise. I'll tell you everything!" Hermione assured her roommate.

"Well, okay…if you promise." Lavender agreed warily.

"Cross my heart. When all this is over, you will be told, by me personally about what has been happening."

This seemed to be just fine with Lavender. She was no rita skeeter, but she sure had a nose for news and gossip!

As the five of them walked along the corridor towards the great hall, they bumped into Seamus and Dean.

"Is this a private party or can anyone join in?" Seamus asked.

"Can't talk, seeking food." Ron said mechanically.

"Of course you are welcome to join us." Hermione said ignoring Ron.

"Cool!' Seamus said happily, turning around and Joining them in their quest for the food grail. Dean followed suit.

The little group of Gryffindors arrived at the entrance hall, moving down the stairs. Hermione stopped abruptly causing everyone to bump into one another.

"Ouch! Why are we stopping?" Lavender grumped. "Oh!" she whispered in realization when she looked around Hermione to see what had caused the halt.

"Malfoy." Harry said curtly.

Malfoy had stopped abruptly also upon seeing the group, causing Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy to collide with him. He looked unsure of what to do next, so Ron gave him a hint.

"Move it Malfoy, I'm hungry and you are blocking the way to the food." Ron ordered.

The Gryffindors braced themselves for a verbal onslaught of abuse like they normally would from Malfoy, but instead, the Prince of Slytherin stared momentarily at Hermione before turning and scuttling off into the great Hall with his confused friends glaring menacingly at the Gryffindors as they followed him.

"What the heck was that all about?" Seamus asked, bewildered.

"You kind of had to be there." Harry remarked, giving Hermione a nudge towards the great hall.

Hermione felt her cheeks burn and her heart raced. She felt better when she felt Parvati give her hand a comforting squeeze.

"Don't you worry, I'm here." She whispered.

"Thanks." Hermione whispered back before resuming their quest for the food grail.

They were just about at the door when something black and that smelled spicy and damp pushed past them and stood in front of them.

Ron gave a frustrated growl. "OI you're Blocking the food!" he stated to the rude figure gesturing angrily at the Great hall.

"Umm, Ron…." Lavender said quietly.

"Can't a bloke eat around here anymore? How many times are we going to be hindered?" Ron ranted on.

"Um…Ron, you do realize that you are talking to Professor Snape right?" Seamus asked.

Ron sighed. "Yeah. Anyway, what do you want? Hurry up and tell us so we can eat."

"I wish to speak with Miss Granger…Alone." Snape replied, glaring at the group.

Before Hermione could even step forward, Ron had grabbed her and thrust her at Snape.

Hermione was too shocked to say anything as she stood staring at Snape in horror.

"There, take her. Now can we go eat?" Ron huffed.

"RON!" Harry said, grabbing Hermione and pulling her back from Snape. "Can't it wait until after dinner Professor?" Harry asked politely. He could not believe that Ron had just handed Hermione over like that, especially to Snape.

"No it cannot wait, Potter." Snape growled. "It is rather urgent."

Ron grabbed Hermione again and shoved her at Snape. "Just take her for Merlin's sake, or we'll be here all bloody night!"

Snape looked slightly shocked and slightly disdainful as Hermione was shoved at him. She almost over balanced and had to grab his robes to keep from falling. He made no attempt to help her keep her balance.

"Now just a minute Ron!" Hermione said, sounding very upset and affronted "You can't just hand me over to someone as if I'm just some sort of Carpet Bag- Harry! You can't let him do this!"

"Watch me!" Ron said firmly.

Before Harry or anyone else could intervene further, Ron grabbed Harry and marched into the Great hall.

Harry and Parvati looked back at Hermione who looked as though Ron had just handed her over to Voldemort himself before giving her apologetic looks and following Harry and Ron.

Hermione stared after them in disbelief. "Can you believe that? How could he do that to me?" she demanded of nobody in particular "Treating me like some sort of tradable object for food!"

"I'm sure I don't know, but yes, I can believe it." Snape said casting a disdainful look at Ron as he shoveled food into his mouth.

Hermione looked up at Snape as though she had forgotten he was there. "I'm sorry Professor, you wanted to speak with me?" she said, sighing.

"Indeed. I wish to enqire as to what you are experiencing with Mr Malfoy." Snape said getting to the point.

"M…Malfoy?" Hermione stammered looking around nervously.

"Yes" Snape affirmed.

"W…why would you ask?" She asked lamely, knowing that he was referring to what had happened in the store cupboard that day.

"Come now Miss Granger," Snape said "you know what I am referring to. Don't play games."

Hermione sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll tell you." She said, hugging her arms around herself.

"I was in the store cupboard, as you already know, getting the Unicorn horn…" She stopped suddenly. "Ugh, wouldn't this be faster and easier for you to understand if you just viewed my memory of it Professor? It's really uncomfortable for me to describe it."

Snape eyed her thoughtfully before replying. "Very well Miss Granger, if that is what you prefere. But I must warn you, since we have no pensive, I will have to do this manually."

Hermione hesitated. After all, having Snape poking around in your memories and viewing them, feelings and so on forth included, was very unnerving. But it was that or describe the feelings and the events verbally, and she just couldn't do that. It was way too embarrassing.

"Do whatever you have to do Professor." Hermione told Snape, bracing herself.

"Very well. This will only take a moment." Snape informed her before leaning forward and staring into her eyes.

Hermione gasped and jolted as though she'd been struck by lightning as thousands of memories rushed through her mind all at once. Suddenly, she was back in the store cupboard, looking for the crushed unicorn horn.

And there was Malfoy, cornering her, trapping her and leaning in. She dropped the jar she was holding, but he continued anyway.

Snape watched this feeling confused, as he expected he would. The downside to Leglimens was that you experienced the same emotions of the person whose memory you were probing.

Suddenly, the confusion turned to a mixture of apprehension, then fear and excitement and finally that was joined with curiosity, but guilt too. Miss Granger was an emotional mess!

From Hermione's vantage point, he got a clear view of Malfoy's face. His eyes were intense, but there was determination, yet a flicker of doubt crossed them as he was leaning in.

The picture went from Malfoy's face to the door, which was accompanied by the feeling of desperation.

There was another jolt of fear and the sound of smashing glass was heard. This only deterred Malfoy for a second before he continued his descent.

Then he saw himself coming into the store room.

'Is my hair really that bad?' he wondered for a moment before getting back to business.

The feeling of emmense relief flooded Snape's emotions as he saw himself unwittingly coming to Hermione's rescue.

He heard himself say "what the." and then motioning for Hermione to leave.

The memory followed Hermione's path out of the dungeons and up to Gryffindor common room.

'Boring' thought Snape, rewinding back. He rewound a little too far however, when he stopped at a memory of Hermione who was apparently dancing around in her dorm room singing along to some muggle song catching her reflection in the mirror, she was wearing her nightdress and singing into a hairbrush.

At that, Snape pulled out abruptly.

Hermione blushed. "You weren't supposed to see that." She said, very embarrassed.

"Yes, well, I won't speak of it. At any rate, I've seen what I wanted to see." Snape replied. "So you didn't try to seduce Mr Malfoy before this incident?"

Hermione gaped at him, looking so offended that Snape almost laughed at her expression.

"I most certainly did not!" she shrieked indignantly.

"Oh for Merlin's sake calm down girl I was only asking." Snape snapped.

Hermione silenced herself, calming down.

"While I have you here, there is one more thing." Snape said.

"Yes?" Hermione answered.

"What is really going on with Mr Goldwater?"

Hermione recoiled suddenly, as though Snape had threatened her with a hot poker.

"Oh, Please Professor don't ask me about that." Hermione said fretfully.

"Why ever not? You can answer can't you? Or do I have to perform Leglimens on you again to find out for myself?" Snape asked silkily. He was really good at interrogating.

"No, you mustn't!" she fretted, wringing her hands and looking warily around. "I can't discuss this!" she insisted.

"Why not?" Snape demanded. All this secrecy and odd behavior was getting tiresome.

"Because…I cannot tell you!" Hermione said tearfully. She didn't want to go back into that prison in her mind. If Snape pushed for knowledge any further, she would be thrown in there and God only knew what would happen when she couldn't controle her actions.

"Why can't you tell me?" Snape demanded, getting angry.

"Please Professor, don't ask me! I beg you please! All will be revealed soon! You'll find out soon!" She sobbed, desperately trying to hang onto her mind.

"I demand that you give me an answer!" Snape bellowed.  
"NO PROFESSOR!" Hermione screamed back.

"Is everything alright Severus?" Dumbledore's voice asked quietly from the doorway of the Great hall.

Snape composed himself. "Yes Headmaster, everything is fine." He told Dumbledore.

Hermione had sunk to the ground at Snape's feet, sobbing. Relieved that Snape had been stopped. If he hadn't, she would be a prisoner in her own mind and Snape could have gotten hurt.

Dumbledore looked from Snape to Hermione and back again. "She doesn't look fine, Severus. What has happened old boy?"

Snape glanced behind Dumbledore at the sea of faces of the students who were wondering what all the screaming was about.

In the forefront was Malfoy. His normally vindictive expression was absent, in its place was one of concern.

"She's a little distraught Headmaster." Snape said, wondering how he was going to explain this. He figured he might as well take a fall.

"I confess I may have been a little hard on the girl."

Dumbledore gave Snape a stern look before shuffling over to Hermione and helping her to her feet.

"There there dear girl, it will all be alright." Dumbledore told her consolingly.

"No…it…won't!" she sobbed.

Dumbledore looked at Professor McGonnagal who got the message and ushedered all the students back into the great hall and closed the doors.

"Now then, what is this all about?" Dumbledore. Asked gently.

"I can't say!" Hermione sniffed, glaring at Snape. "Just like I told him!"

"Ah I see. You are under some sort of secrecy spell." Dumbledore said gravely. "It is a hard thing to endure. You want to tell but you simply cannot. It drives you mad to even try."

Hermione stared open mouthed at the Headmaster. "Yes! That's it!" she said feeling relieved that Dumbledore figured out at least part of the problem! Now maybe Snape would stop trying to interrogate her! Maybe he would figure out what was going on and rescue her!

But that wouldn't happen that night. Dumbledore nodded and wiped away her tears with his hankerchief.

"All will turn out fine, Miss Granger, you mustn't worry. Professor Snape was trying to help you. I suspect however that he did not realize you had a secrecy charm preventing you from saying what must be said. You must excuse him."

Hermione nodded. Of course she understood that Snape didn't know about the secrecy charm. How could he have? She looked at Snape and stared at him. He looked stressed. Something was seriously bothering him.

"I'm sorry Professor for the way I behaved just then." She told him soflty.

"I understand Miss Granger. I shan't press it further." Snape replied.

Dumbledore gave Snape a promting look. Snape rolled his eyes.

"And I apologise for upsetting you." He added with difficulty.

Hermione nodded.

"Well Miss Granger, the ball is tomorrow. We cannot have you looking worse for wear. So it's off to your dorm with you. May I also suggest that you take a nice relaxing bath and I always find that a bar of chocolate cheers me up, with tea. Yes, chocolate and tea and a bath. It does wonders." Dumbledore suggested, his blue eyes twinkling at her.

"Thank you Professor." Hermione said gratefully. She planned to do just what he suggested.

"Severus, if you would be so kind as to escort Miss Granger safely back to her common room." Dumbledore urged, sweeping Snape and Hermione before him up the stair case.

Snape gave the headmaster a knowing look and Dumbledore nodded slightly in response. With this silent exchange over, Snape began his given mission to escort the young Gryffindor to her common room.

"I know something is wrong Miss Granger." He said after a few minutes of silence. "Mr Malfoy also sees this and I believe the headmaster suspects just as much."  
Hermione didn't respond, but he knew that she couldn't anyway, so he went on.

"I don't know exactly what Mr Goldwater is up to, but I do know that it's not good. I mustn't say too much. I don't want to worry you further."

"Thank you Professor." She said with great difficutly. "There is much to tell, but as you are now aware, that is not possible to convey at this time."

"You will be safe, I promise you." Snape said as they approached the Painting of the Fat Lady.

"One more thing," Snape added "Though you may find it hard, try not to be alone with him. Have Potter and Weasley around at all times if you can."

Hermione nodded. "I'll try."

Snape nodded and turned to leave.

"Professor?" Hermione called after him.

He stopped and turned looking at her enquiringly.

"Thank you. For noticing." She told him.

Snape inclined his head. "It is my duty to observe my student's Miss Granger, and protect them where it is necessary. You are most welcome."

And with that said, he swept away.

Hermione sighed and said the password.  
Upon entering the common room, she found a plate of food on the table in front of the fire. A note was attatched.

Picking it up and reading it, Hermione smiled.

_'Dear Miss Granger,_

_I noticed due to this evening's events in the entrance hall, that you were not able to eat at the evening meal. I took the liberty of having Dobby bring you something, as you must be very hungry I am sure._

_Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonnagall'_

She loved that woman! She realized then, just how hungry she was. But first, a bath was in order and then she would eat, and sleep. She was going to need all the strength she could get for the following evening.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Hermione sat on her bed reading her copy of Hogwarts a History, but it wasn't like she could really concentrate on reading it due to all the noise her two roommates and Ginny were making as they got ready for the ball.

"Hermione! You should be getting ready! You don't have much time left!" Lavender said excitedly as she danced around in a towel and mud-pack.

Hermione peered over her book at the girl, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"It's 10 am. The ball isn't until 7pm! It's way too early to get ready!" Hermione informed her.

"It's Ten already? I gotta do my make-up!" Lavender screeched in horror. She dashed over to her trunk and pulled out a big backpack. She opened this and tipped its contents all over the bed. What looked like a ton of make-up fell out.

Hermione shook her head and went back to reading her book. Suddenly, the book was whipped from her hand and tossed carelessly over Lavender's shoulder.

"Hey! What are you-" Hermione was cut short mid-rant by Lavender and Parvati's evil expressions as they stood with bathrobe and mud pack in hand.

"No….no way! I'm not going to go around with Mud on my face all day!" Hermione cried, scooting back from them so that she was huddled against her headboard.

"Oh but you won't have to…not all day anyway!" Parvati said reasonably "Just an hour or so!"

"No." Hermione said firmly.

Parvati and Lavender exchanged looks before pouncing and dragging Hermione from her bed, kicking and screaming.

"Ginny! Run the bath! Put some scented stuff in it." Lavender shouted at Ginny above Hermione's yells.

Ginny shot into the bathroom and started running the bath. "What scents should I use?" She cried from the bathroom frantically.

"What is there!" Lavender called back, struggling to restrain Hermione.

"Umm…there's lavender, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, sweet pea, rose, watermelon, floral stuff and cherry blossom!" Ginny yelled back.

"Use the both of the cherry ones, and the lavender and the floral ones!" Parvati called.

They had finally gotten Hermione to submit, but they had to tie her up to do it.

"Now see here Hermione, this has to be done!" Lavender said firmly.  
Hermione scowled. "I could have done this an hour before the ball y'know!"

"Yes but if you want to do it properly…and impress Malfoy-"  
"Who said I wanted to impress the Ferret?" Hermione demanded.

"Well, at any rate, you must go through with the grooming ritual! It's the only way to truly pamper. You'll feel great after we're done!" Lavender said hastily popping a cherry flavoured lolly pop into Hermione's mouth.

"Hermione, let us pamper you a bit. I promise you will enjoy it!" Parvati begged. "I've always wanted to do this for you!"

Hermione eyed Parvati warily. "Well….alright, but don't tell anyone! How am I supposed to keep up my bookworm image if I go around smelling like Cherries and flowers?" she said grudgingly.

Lavender and Parvati squealed in delight and untied Hermione.

"Bath first!" Lavender said giving Hermione a shove towards the floral and cherry scented bathroom where Ginny awaited to assist her.

"I can undress myself!" Hermione protested as Ginny moved towards her. "Just turn around until I get in."

Ginny shrugged and turned around, looking at the ceiling.

Meanwhile Hermione undressed and slipped into the hot bath, letting out a contented sigh in spite of herself.

"Okay, you can look." She informed Ginny, who turned back around and sat at the bottom of the tub. She reached in and grabbed one of Hermione's feet, lifting it from the water and placing it on a padded cushion.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"Massaging your feet." Ginny replied cheerfully. "You are going to be dancing all night, and with Malfoy after you…well, you want your feet to be in top form don't you?"

She was a little disturbed at Ginny's comment about Malfoy, but Hermione couldn't help but enjoy the foot rub. Ginny had talents.

"Mione, can I ask you something?" Ginny said after a while.

"Of course Gin, what's up?" Hermione replied.

"I was wondering if you knew anything about Harry, like if he fancies anyone or anything at the moment." Ginny asked, blushing slightly.

Hermione opened one eye to peer at Ginny. "Not that I know of. He doesn't really talk about that sort of thing with me. Have you asked Ron?"

"No, I can't ask Ron. If Ron found out I still liked Harry…I'd never live it down. He'd hound me and make fun, like he did before." Ginny said scathingly.

"Do you want me to try and find out for you?" Hermione asked.

Ginny looked up, smiling. "Would you? That would be wonderful!"

Hermione giggled.

"What are we like Gin? Giggling and talking about boys like…wait, we are schoolgirls!"

Ginny laughed. "It's pathetic isn't it? But ah well, what can you do?"

"Enjoy it while it lasts I've been told." Hermione said quoting her mother while pointing a finger in the air.

They fell silent again for a few minutes until Ginny spoke again.

"Do you like Malfoy?" she blurted out.

Hermione stared hard at the bubbles in her bath for a moment, her cheeks flushing. "I don't know. He's been acting strange lately, Sometimes I think I could like him, but then he does or says something that makes me hate him again."

Ginny looked thoughtful. "Do you think he likes you?"

Hermione blushed. "Oh I doubt it. After all the years he's hated me and called me a mudblood?"

"I think he does." Ginny said outright.

Hermione blinked at her friend. "What makes you think that?"

"I've been watching him…he stares at you and follows you around" Ginny revealed. "It's weird. It's like he doesn't want to let you out of his sight."

Hermione laughed this off. "Yes well, he's probably plotting my ultimate downfall and wants to track my every move so he knows my schedule and stuff."

"I don't think that's it Mione. I think he fancies you." Ginny said promptly, grinning.

"Gin! What a thing to say!" Hermione scolded, but couldn't help but giggle at the prospect. "Can you imagine if he did? Can you imagine his father's response. "Draco." Hermione said deepening her voice and speaking with a posh upper class accent "You know the Malfoy rules. No mudbloods! I hate to do this, but I'm going to have to kill both of you!"

They giggled. The whole thing was ridiculous, but it did get Hermione thinking.

"Bathtime's up girls! It's time for the mud pack and hair transformation!" Lavender called from the dorm room.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Brace yourself. I have to take my bath now and I'm next in line for the hair thing." She handed Hermione a fluffy white bathrobe and turned around again.

Hermione got out of the bath and put the bathrobe on. "Who are you going with Gin?"

Ginny blushed "Seamus Finnigan." She answered "And you?"

Hermione's smile faded. "Lucas Goldwater." She said softly.

Ginny frowned. "You don't seen too happy about that. Is everything alright?"

"No, but it's alright, it'll all work out in the end." Hermione said bracingly, more to herself than Ginny as she walked out of the bathroom, leaving Ginny to her bath.

Her mood was low again when she rejoined Lavender and Parvati in the dorm room.

They sensed her mood immediately and set about cheering her up.

"WE should get some food, we are going to be up here all day." Lavender said smiling slyly. "What do you say to a trip to the kitchens Hermione?"

"Like this?" Hermione asked gesturing to her face which Parvati had now covered in a dark green mud pack to match her two roommates faces.  
"Nobody will see us! We know a secret passage. Ron showed it to us." Lavender answered.

"I don't know…" Hermione said doubtfully.

"Oh come on, it'll be fine. We'll just run down, get some munchies and run back and no-one will be any the wiser!" Lavender persuaded.

Parvati pouted in a puppy dog like fashion and Hermione caved.

"Alright. I suppose we can, if we are quick. I don't want to be seen looking like this!" Hermione said standing up and pulling her bathrobe around her more closely.

She reached for her wand and put an anti opening spell on her robe, then did the same with Lavender and Parvati's.

"What did you do?" Lavender asked, bewildered.

"I put an anti opening spell on our robes." Hermione answered sensibly.

"What on earth for?" Parvati asked.

"It's just in case we have to leg it while we are out. We don't want our robes flapping around and showing what shouldn't be on display to the whole school or whoever we happen to meet along the way do we?" Hermione replied coyly.

"Genius!" Parvati said grinning.

"Lets go!" Lavender said creeping out to the staircase.

Hermione and Parvati followed.

They followed her down into the deserted common room. Everyone was still having the usual Saturday late breakfast.

Going over to a tapestry that was hanging on the wall next to the portrait hole, Lavender pushed it aside and tapped the wall with her wand, whispering an incantation.

A door appeared in the wall and they went through.

The secret passageway was dark and cobwebby and very cold.

Shivering, the three girls pulled their bathrobes around themselves tighter as they made their way along the corridor and down steep steps.

After what seemed like years of walking, they reached the kitchens.

The house elves were surprised to see them, especially looking the way they did, but were anxious to fetch them whatever it was that they wanted.

After they had been handed their food, Hermione made the food float alongside them.

Suddenly the kitchen door burst open and Snape strode in.

"We are out of bacon….AAAARGH!" Snape screamed in shock and alarm, whipping out his wand after seconds of fumbling for it.

"AAAARGH!" The three girls screamed, huddling together in shock and surprise. They didn't expect Snape of all people to come strolling into the kitchens! He was supposed to be munching his breakfast like everyone else!

"AAAARGH!" Snape screamed again brandishing his wand, which was shaking, a lot.

"AAAARGH!" the girls screamed in response, then promptly legged it out of the door they had come through, leaving a very shaken Snape behind them.  
They ran all the way back to the Gryffindor Common room, the food they had gotten flew along behind them.

Making it safely into the Gryffindor common room and spelling the secret door so that it locked and disappeared, they dashed back up to the dorm room where they stood gasping for breath.

Then they promptly started laughing.

"Did you see his face?" Lavender laughed.

The other two nodded in response through their own laughter.

Ginny appeared from the bathroom. "What are you all laughing at?" she asked, running a comb through her wet hair.

Hermione told Ginny what had happened and Ginny laughed too.  
"Oh I wish I'd been there! Snape's face sounds funny!"

"It was hysterical!" Lavender shrieked in laughter. "He was going to hex us! But he was shaking so bad he couldn't get a good aim!"  
"So we legged it while we had the chance!" Parvati laughed.

They laughed some more and finally they settled down to eat what they had brought from the kitchens.

They munched and selected their make-up from Lavender's huge bag and then Lavender brought out the Hair products.

"Check this out!" She said happily, dumping another big bagful of stuff onto her bed.

The girls gathered around and looked at the products.  
"I haven't a clue what this stuff is!" Hermione said holding a bottle of "Mrs Locksley's dream serum" up and eyeing it suspiciously.

"Don't worry about that, Hermione, I know what your hair needs." Lavender said reassuringly then she sighed. "We are going to look so hot tonight! Just wait! Malfoy is going to be falling all over himself when he sees you Hermione!"

Hermione blushed. "I doubt it." She said quietly.

"Lucas will too! He's going to be keeping a firm hold on you tonight!" Ginny said.

Hermione blanched. "Yes…I guess."

"Well, lets get to it girls!" Lavender said happily. "Ginny, we'll do your make-up first then your hair. Once you are done, you can help do Parvati, then me, then Hermione."

The girls set to work on Ginny.

2 hours later, Ginny was done, and she looked radiant with her shoulder length red hair tumbling around her shoulders in soft glossy curls.

"There's no way Harry won't notice you!" Hermione whispered to her secretly.

Ginny blushed and smiled happily.

Next was Parvati, and again, two hours later, she was done, looking very pretty.

Lavender took just under two hours, but she looked lovely at the end of it.

There was three hours before the ball was due to start and it was Hermione's turn to sit nervously in the make-up chair and have her hair and make-up done. She wasn't too worried after seeing how well the other's had turned out.

Lavender and Parvati worked feverishly on Hermione. Lavender took charge of the make-up while Parvati did her hair.

"use this on her hair to give it some gloss. It's got natural curl, so we want to emphasise that. She's going to look fabulous!" Lavender said excitedly.

Within the standard two hours, Hermione was ready to put on her ballgown. This was the part she was really nervous about, because she had spent two days searching for it. She and her mother had bought it in Muggle London and she hoped that it would be well received, after all it was rather different than the others that she had seen. But she like to be individual.

Lavender wiped away a tear away as she looked at her masterpiece.

"Hermione you look absolutely beautiful! You are going blow Malfoy's socks off!" she sniffed.

Hermione blushed. "Thanks Lav. I don't know how I would have looked this good without you!"

"Gosh! Look at the time! We need to get our dresses on!" Ginny squeaked, pointing at the ancient clock on the wall that told it was 6:20pm. The ball would be starting at 7pm!

There was a mad dash for wardrobes and sighs and squeals of excitement as the girls pulled out their dresses.

**A/N: Wanna see the dresses? Go to my livejournal, my name there is Scotlandsgirl. I have posted the pics of the ballgowns in there. **

Lavender pulled out a strapless, lilac coloured dress that had sparkles sprinkled on it. The bottom had chiffon layers of pink and turqoise and flowed around the ankles. 

"Wow." Her fellow girls cooed.

"I know!" Lavender said grinning. "Isn't it great?" and she disappeared into the bathroom to change into her dress.

She emerged looking stunning with her hair in curls, piled on top of her head and her make-up matching the colour of her dress.

"Wow Lav! You look wonderful!" Her friends breathed in wonder.

Parvati pulled her dress out of her wardrobe and grinned. "What do you think?" she asked the other three.

"It's beautiful!" came the chorus.

Parvati had chosen a yellow spaghetti strap, ankle length gown, with sparkles that displayed an intricate design on the dress. It matched her gold toned make-up and ebony hair and tanned skin.

She disappeared into the bathroom and emerged looking very lovely indeed.

Squeals of approval met her.

Ginny went next, also taking a yellow gown out of the wardrobe, but this one was more of a pale lemon shade than Parvati's and had a full ball gown skirt. It was strapless and had black beading creating patterns over the bodice and skirt.

"Wow Ginny!" Lavender said, grinning.  
"Birthday present from Dad." Ginny said, grinning back as she ran into the bathroom with her dress. She emerged a few minutes later looking as beautiful as the other two had.

They all turned to Hermione expectantly.

Hermione stood chewing her lip worriedly.

"What's the matter Hermione?" Lavender asked. "Is your hair coming down?"

"No, it's not my hair, my hair is wonderful. It just….my dress." Hermione said uncertainly, casting her wardrobe a dubious glance.

"What about it?" Ginny asked worriedly.

"Well it's…not like any of yours." Hermione said carefully, observing that her friend's dresses were nice and modern.

"Go on…" Lavender prompted interestedly.

"I really shouldn't have bought it. I was in a daring and somewhat romantic mood that day…" Hermione fretted. "Now I'm going to look ridiculous!"

"Well we'll tell you what we think when You've shown it to us!" Lavender insisted. "We can fix it if it's not suitable!"

"well…alright, but don't laugh!" Hermione finally agreed and went to her wardrobe.

"Can you guys close your eyes for a moment while I run and put it on?" Hermione asked.

"Sure!" the three girls chirruped and covered their eyes.

Hermione whipped her dress out and shot into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, she emerged very nervously indeed.

Three jaws dropped to the floor.

"Oh…my….God!" Lavender said.

"Wowee!" Ginny said.

"Hermione!" Parvati said in a faint whisper.

"Well? Tell me!" Hermione said fretfully.

"It's….it's BEAUTIFUL!" Lavender squealed, rushing forward and fingering the dress. "Wow and it feels fabulous!"

Hermione's dress was very different, but it was stunning. It was made from deep red crushed velvet with an 18th century style corset, and Elizabethan style skirt, Gold laces tied up at the back and gold ivy trimmed the sleeves. It had a medieval style to it too.

"You don't think it's a little too much?" Hermione asked, surprised.

"Yeah, but that's the point of a ball isn't it? To out do all the other gowns? Hermione you will be the center of attention in this thing!" Ginny gushed.

"We have to put some gold ribbons in your hair now to match the dress!" Lavender fussed conjuring some thin gold ribbon and weaving it in and around Hermione's curls.

"I have a tiara too." Hermione pointed out shyly.

She fetched it and Lavender sat it on her head.

"There," said lavender happily. "Perfect!"

"Oooh, we are going to be late!" Ginny screeched picking up her skirts and heading for the door.

"WAIT!" Lavender shouted. "We forgot perfume!"  
Everyone reached for their own perfume and spritzed some on.

Hermione inhaled her favorite scent of roses as she spritzed hers on.

Then they were finally ready to go to the ball. The girls picked up their skirts and left the dorm room.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Phew! This was a long chapter! It was going to be longer, but I thought I'd cut it where I did. Don't worry though, the other half of it is being written, and will be up here within a few days. Snape is going to be mostly friendly in this one, so sorry, but he's the only one who can help in the situation that occurrs. **

Chapter 13

Malfoy stood in front of the mirror with a pile of his numerous dress robes on his bed behind him, holding each one in turn to see which one looked best. When he'd asked his mother to send some dress robes for him to choose from, he didn't expect her to send all 53 of them!

Scowling in frustration, he threw a royal purple dress robe aside and grabbed a black one and held it up.

"None of the dress robes in the world will look good on you if you continue to scowl like that! Merlin help you if the wind changes!" The mirror said wisely.

"Oh shut up! What do you know? You don't go to balls or anything of the sort!" Malfoy snapped at it.

The mirror sniffed, sounding on the verge of tears. "Well you don't have to put it that way! I'm well aware that I'm an inanimate object thank you very much!"

"Oh for Merlin's sake! Make yourself useful then and help me pick some robes!" Malfoy growled.

"Fine, how about red?" The mirror asked.

"I don't own any red robes!" Malfoy pointed out

"Then how about blue?" The mirror suggested.

"Ravenclaw colours!" Malfoy sniffed indignantly. "And for that very reason, I don't own blue robes either!"

The mirror gave a sigh and continued longsufferingly. "Then what about green? Surely you like green!"

"Now Green we can work with!" Malfoy said nodding and gathering all 30 of his green dress robes, each a different shade and style.

"Okay, here are all the green ones." Malfoy told his mirror, laying all the robes out in front of it and picking one up.

"Too horrible a shade of green, did someone barf on it?" the mirror remarked.

"No! My mother chose them for me for my father's birthday ball." Malfoy informed the mirror, throwing that robe aside and picking up another.

"Nice frills! What's the story on that one?" The mirror demanded indignantly.

Malfoy looked at it, and then threw it from him in disgust. "That one was from Pansy Parkinson as a gift." He explained.

"Burn it. It's not fit to even show a mirror." The mirror said.

"Done." Malfoy agreed. "How about this one, I rather like it."

It was a set of black trousers, white peasant style shirt and a long velvet forest green cloak to go over it. This cloak came with a solid silver brooch with a large emerald in its center.

"Keep a hold of that one dear, we'll come back to it." The mirror said.

Malfoy put it on his bed.

They went through the rest of the robes fairly fast, the mirror vetoed all but a tuxedo style one. The only problem with them was the black cloak, which the mirror didn't like too much.

"How about we mix and match?" The mirror said thoughtfully.

"Worth a shot I suppose." Malfoy said shrugging and held up the peasant style shirt dress robes. "I like these, and the shirt's nice and cool. I get really hot with all the dancing."

"Yes, but on the other hand, don't you think it is rather too casual for a ball?" the Mirror countered.

"I don't think so. Do you think I should wear the really dressy ones?" Malfoy asked.

"Yes…and no." the mirror said.

"You've lost me." Malfoy said.

"Take the dressy one, and see how it goes with the green cloak."

Malfoy tried this, but didn't look too sure. "It's nice, but I like the other shirt."

"Then wear that then!" The mirror replied.

"Okay, done." Malfoy said, satisfied, "Thanks for your help."  
"No problem, it's what I'm here for." The mirror replied.

"I'm going to get ready now." Malfoy announced and grabbed his wand. "Accio hair gel, cologne and comb!" he said firmly.

As he requested these items flew out of their places and landed on his bed.

"Some music I think." Malfoy added, flicking his wand again. The catchy song "Shake, shake Senora" started playing, and Malfoy danced along shirtless as he preformed a cleaning spell on himself. Still dancing and singing along, he put some sleekeasy in his hair and combed it back into his trademark Malfoy style and then applied the cologne.

He dressed, with difficulty as he insisted on continuing his dancing.

The mirror didn't have the heart to tell him that the song he was dancing to was actually a muggle song, from a muggle movie "beetlejuice" none-the-less, so it let him continue.

By the time the song had ended, he was dressed and almost ready to go.

"How do I look?" he asked his mirror, smirking.

"Like…a prince." His mirror sighed.

"Good. See how that Goldwater like's this!" Malfoy spat, his eyes glinting malevolently. "Granger is not going to leave this ball with him."

"Ooh, competition for a young maids heart? Tell me more!" the mirror cooed.

"Sorry, I don't have time, I'll tell you all about it when I get back." Malfoy said, grabbing his wand and heading for the door.

"Good luck." The mirror called.

**A/N : I couldn't find any pics to match Malfoy's look exactly, but this comes close enough you just have to picture it with a green cloak: **http/ dashed out of his room and flew out of the Slytherin Common room. He hadn't asked anyone to go with him, so Pansy stood pouting as she held the arm of Blaise Zambini. 

"Draco, why are you in such a rush?" Blaise called.

"I don't like being late." Malfoy snapped as he ran out of the portrait hole.

He ran along the corridor and ran into Professor Snape, who had surprisingly made some sort of effort for the ball. He wore black of course, but his shirt was also peasant style, and he wore a tunic over it along with a long black cape that reached his ankles. He had washed his hair and it was combed back similar to Lucius Malfoy's. Malfoy sniffed the air around his Professor.

"You are wearing cologne?" Malfoy said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm impressed."

"Thank you Draco." Snape said sarcastically "Move along now, We must get there before they do."

Malfoy didn't need to ask whom he was referring to, he knew all too well.

As all of this was happening, Hermione was in the common room with Harry, Ron and Ginny and everyone else.

Ron's jaw dropped in awe and amazement when Hermione made her appearance. "Mione? Is that you?"

"You look stunning Mione!" Harry said truthfully.

Hermione blushed and blushed again at all the compliments she was not used to receiving. She thanked each person and then suggested that they make their way down.

Everyone paired up with whom they were going to the Ball with. Lavender took Ron's arm and was pleased to note that he had some nice dress robes this year, thanks to Harry.

Harry looked very dashing in a black tuxedo style suit and wore a black cloak over it and offered his arm to Parvati who smiled and took it heartily.

Those who were going with other's from different houses were meeting up with their dates in the entrance hall.

Hermione walked along with Harry and Ron, Lavender and Parvati.

They chatted happily on the journey to the Entrance hall, but Hermione was silent. She was dreading it really. Lucas would be there obviously, and who knew what would happen at the ball or even worse, afterwards?

She tried to comfort herself with the knowledge that Dumbledore and Snape were on the case. She only hoped they would figure it out and save her before something serious happened.

Then there was Malfoy. Only Parvati knew about the situation with him. She didn't want to be horrible to him, not tonight.

They had reached the entrance hall and Hermione's heart lurched. Standing there at the bottom of the staircase, stood Lucas. He looked incredibly good in renaissance style robes of royal blue and he held out his hand to her.

Instantly, she felt the pull towards him and inwardly groaned as she felt her feet carry her to him.

'Stupid feet.' She thought bitterly.

She took his arm and stared up at him.

"I thought you couldn't get any more stunning than you already were!" Lucas whispered in her ear seductively. "Tonight will be the night, Hermione. You will be mine."

Hermione inwardly shuddered, then a jolt of fear and apprehension shot through her. What exactly did he mean by that?

Just then, Malfoy and Snape arrived, slightly out of breath from their rush.

Malfoy stared at Hermione for a moment, quite speechless.

Snape was just as speechless, but didn't let that on. Instead he gave Lucas another "I'm onto you" look and swept into the Great hall. Malfoy sneered at him and brushed past Hermione and Lucas, taking great care to brush his hand against Hermione's making her jolt in surprise.

She stared after him as he went into the Great hall after Snape.

"He doesn't have a date." She said softly, to herself.

"No, and I'm not surprised." Lucas snorted. "Who would want to be on that arrogant git's arm?"

"I would." Hermione thought silently "it would be better than being on yours."

Lucas led her into the Great hall which was decorated with Gold this year.

Gold was the theme apparently for there was gold plates and goblets, gold cutlery, and the walls were dripping with Gold wall curtains.

"It's beautiful!" Hermione gasped as they walked to sit at their table.

Harry and Ron along with Lavender and Parvati joined them.

As the students settled at their tables, Dumbledore took to the podium and began his speech.  
He wore robes of rich red and gold, looking very jovial indeed.

"Welcome to the Yule ball my dears, I trust you like the décor? Courtesy of Professor Flitwick!"  
Everyone clapped and Professor flitwick bowed.

A rather indignant "Ahem" was heard from Professor Snape and Dumbledore chuckled "Oh yes, I must also give credit to Professor Snape for selecting this evening's dance music."

"Ahem" said Snape again, giving Dumbledore a promting look.

"But I must tell you that he only picked the classical dancing music, not the modern." Dumbledore added hastily, looking at Snape to see if he was finally satisfied.

There was applause for Snape before Dumbledore continued.

"As always, dinner will be served, then the dancing will follow. This year, we Professors will be joining you so eat drink and be merry!" Dumbledore elaborated and then he sat down to his meal.

An orchestra started up and serenaded them as they ate.

"Must they be positioned right beside our table?" Snape complained, trying to ignore the whining tone of a violin that was right next to his ear.

"Indeed my dear Severus, you picked this music!" Dumbledore replied "And after all, they say that Music soothes the savage beast!"

"In spite of what everyone might think, I am not a savage beast, if it's all the same to you!" Snape remarked, fighting the urge to take the violin and stuff it up it's player's….well you get the point.

"Oh do lighten up Severus!" Professor McGonnagal chided, handing a goblet of wine to him.

He took it grudgingly and took to scowling at all the students instead.

Meanwhile, Malfoy was watching Lucas and Hermione with hawk-like eyes throughout the whole meal, watching Lucas's every move to make sure he wasn't slipping Hermione any potions.

Ron apparently had taken it upon himself to learn some good table manners before the ball. He was eating like a normal human being as opposed to a Neanderthal.

As the meal came to a close, the tables moved themselves off to the side, clearing room for the dancefloor.

"Let's dance!" Parvati said excitedly as she dragged Ron up to the dancefloor.

Harry and Lavender got up too and took to the dancefloor.

"Come Hermione!" Lucas said standing and offering her his hand.

She took it and let him lead her to the dance floor.

The orchestra struck up a waltz and everyone moved as one it seemed.

Malfoy had been grabbed by Pansy, much to Blaise's annoyance, but Malfoy saw this as more of an opportunity to get near Granger.

He waltzed his way over to Hermione and Lucas and locked eyes with Hermione whenever he could.

"Stop staring at her!" Pansy hissed angrily.

"Shut up, I'm on a mission!" Malfoy hissed back.

"You like her don't you?" Pansy demanded in disgust.  
"Don't be stupid, how could I like her?" Malfoy shot back, not taking his eyes off of Hermione.

"Look at the way you are looking at her! You are practically drooling, it's disgusting!" Pansy said bluntly.

"For the last time Pansy, shut up!" Malfoy growled waltzing her around so that he was back to back with Lucas.

"You are going down." He hissed at Lucas.

"We'll see about that." Lucas hissed back. "Back off."

"Just you wait." Malfoy said malevolently, his eyes glinting in the light.

Pansy seemed surprised for a moment. "So it's not about Granger…you have issues with Lucas Goldwater?"

"Yeah, something like that." Malfoy said distractedly.

"Oh, well in that case, feel free." Pansy said happily. She loved to watch Draco in competition.

The waltz ended and Lucas led Hermione into the next dance.

Malfoy hurriedly shoved Pansy back at Blaise and hurried over to Snape, who was standing by the wayside watching everyone.

"Look at him, the smarmy git!" Malfoy spat as he watched Lucas waltz Hermione around in Sweeping moves.

"Indeed." Snape muttered. "I don't like him at all, but you must admit, the boy can dance."

"So, do we have a plan?" Malfoy queried, ignoring Snape's last comment.

"Possibly. We just have to try and separate them, and once they are, keep them separated." Snape said thoughtfully.

"Should we enlist the services of Potter and Weasley?" Malfoy asked.

"I think so, yes. At least to begin with. In fact, they can get her from him, then you can take over from there. Keep her dancing." Snape replied.

"Okay, how do we get Potter or Weasley to dance with her?" Malfoy asked, watching Harry and Lavender waltz past, followed by Ron and Parvati.

"Watch and learn." Snape said, before stepping onto the dancefloor and cutting in on Harry with Lavender.

Harry seemed shocked at first and Lavender looked positively mortified, but she didn't have much choice but to dance with Snape.  
Snape waltzed Lavender around Harry.

"Miss Granger." He prompted at the dumbfounded Harry. "She could do with a change of partner I think."

Harry nodded and went over to Hermione. He tapped Lucas on the shoulder.

"Mind If I cut in?" Harry asked politely.  
Lucas looked hesitant but decided Harry was no threat and handed Hermione over to him.

Hermione felt she would faint with relief.

"Hi Harry." She said comfortably.

"You doing alright Mione?" Harry asked, concerned.

"Yes." She said automatically. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, Snape just cut in on Lavender and me and said you would like a change of partner." Harry elaborated.

Hermione looked over at Snape and the mortified Lavender who was mouthing death threats at Harry, and felt a bit safer. Snape was watching.

"How odd." Hermione commented.

"Yeah, it was." Harry agreed.

Just then, Harry felt a tap on his shoulder and turned his head to see Malfoy standing smirking at him.

"Mind if I cut in Potter?" He asked.

Harry stared in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Of course I am!" Malfoy snapped impatiently, glancing around to see where Lucas was.

Harry looked at Hermione. "Is he serious?"

Hermione looked just as shocked as Harry. "I think he is."

"Come on Potter, I haven't got all night!" Malfoy said impatiently.

"Fine, but if you try to humiliate Mione, I swear I'll-"

"Yeah, yeah, you'll hex me, cut me up into tiny pieces and feed me to the giant squid, I get it." Malfoy said waving Harry's threat away and taking Hermione into his arms.

"Thanks Potter, you're a trooper!" He remarked before sweeping Hermione off just as Snape delivered Lavender back to Harry.

"Don't ever let him cut in again!" Lavender hissed, her face still burning with embarrassment. "If you ever do that again, I'll hex you into a million pieces and feed you to the Giant squid!"

"Sorry." Was all Harry could say.

"Alright there Granger?" Malfoy said conversationally as he swept her around the dance floor."

"Fine, I guess. And you?" Hermione replied politely.

"Just fine for now." He answered.

"Listen up Granger, and listen carefully." He said leaning in close to her ear so he could speak without anyone else overhearing him.

"I know what's happening with you and Goldwater, and I'm going to help you."  
"Why would you do that? I thought you hated me!" Hermione said reproachfully before she could stop herself.

"That's another story Granger, and I'll answer that question soon enough, but for now, let's just get you out of this mess you are in." Malfoy reminded her.

Hermione let herself be waltzed around the dancefloor by Malfoy until the next Waltz.

"Merlin! Has Snape chosen anything but Waltzes?" Hermione said irritably.

Malfoy shrugged "He likes waltzes I suppose. Another dance?"

"Well alright." Hermione agreed, scanning the crowd for Lucas, who was to be found at the side of the dancefloor with Snape, with a face like thunder.

They waltzed the first round, then Malfoy decided it was time to make things a little more interesting.

"Time to take the floor." He commented jovially.

"What?" Hermione asked flatly.

She gasped as Malfoy waltzed them around in bigger circles, and with more Grace and agility.

People had to give them room and moved aside for them. Soon though, they had given them a large circle of their own and stood watching them, impressed.

Hermione blushed as she realized they were the center of attention now.  
"Malfoy, what are you doing?" she whispered.

"Dancing." Malfoy replied, smirking at her.

All Hermione could do was go along with him and hope that the ground would open up and swallow her.

And three minutes later, the earth had betrayed her….it had not opened up and swallowed her. She was still dancing with Malfoy to the same waltz, being watched by the whole freakin' school!

Hermione was beginning to feel tired. Her legs were threatening not to hold her up anymore, but the thought of falling flat on her face in front of the whole freakin' school saw her through to the end of the waltz.

There was tremendous applause from their fellow students as Hermione managed to escape from Malfoy and staggered over to Harry and Ron.

"I think I'm going to pass out." She gasped as the room spun around her and she grabbed hold of Harry and Ron to steady herself.

Lucas was heading in her direction, but so was Snape, and Malfoy, and all from different directions too.

Harry and Ron looked around at the three of them in bewilderment as they held Hermione up.

"I get the feeling you are in demand Hermione!" Harry said nervously as the two slytherins and lone ravenclaw approached, all looking determined.

"What is going on Mione?" Ron asked urgently.  
"Don't know what you are talking about." Hermione said faintly, trying to make the room stop spinning.

"It's obvious something is going on." Harry said insistently. "Mione, what is happening?"

Before she could answer, the three arrived.

"Hermione, Darling, come away." Lucas said reaching for her.

Malfoy slapped his hand away. "Back off Goldwater, she's knackered!"

"Stand aside, this girl needs potion!" Snape said firmly, pushing Goldwater aside and grabbing Hermione by her upper arm.

"Hey!" Ron said indignantly as Snape snatched Hermione from him and Harry.

"Would you rather I leave her to faint?" Snape challenged.

"No." came the unified response.  
"Then be quiet." Snape snapped, reaching into his robes and pulling out two vials of potion.

"What are you giving her?" Lucas demanded suspiciously.

"What's the matter Goldwater? Scared?" Malfoy sneered.

"Of course not, I am just concerned about my Hermione!" Lucas replied quickly.

Snape poured one of the vials into the other and shook the vial then held the potion out to Hermione. "Miss Granger, drink this, it will give you the energy you are very much going to need to continue with the rest of the ball."

Hermione took the potion gratefully "Thank you Professor." She drank it in one go, wincing at the bitter taste.

Instantly, she felt rejuvenated and full of energy again and something she didn't expect. Freedom. Her mind was her own!

"I have to learn how to make that stuff!" She declared to her Potions professor.

"Wait until February." Snape remarked.

"Ready to go again Granger?" Malfoy asked smirking.

"No, she is not dancing with you again!" Lucas snapped.

"I don't think that is your decision Goldwater." Malfoy said in a dangerous voice.

"I think you need a lesson in how to respect your superiors." Lucas said in an equally dangerous voice, stepping closer to Malfoy menacingly.

Through all of this, Harry, Ron and Hermione were watching the two boys like they were watching a tennis match. They were more surprised that Snape hadn't stepped in and deducted numerous Ravenclaw house points, instead he just seemed to be standing there glaring at Lucas.

"You are below me Goldwater, in every sense of the term." Malfoy said silkily.

"He's been around Snape too much!" Ron whispered to Harry, who nodded in response.

"Come Hermione, let us leave these idiots!" Lucas said.

"Umm, I don't feel like it right now, why don't we just rest for a while." Hermione said.

Lucas looked surprised for a moment, and glanced around at Snape suspiciously.

Snape smirked smugly at him and held up the empty vial that Hermione had drunk from.

"Very well, Hermione, we can sit awhile." Lucas said carefully, sitting down next to her.

"Malfoy stared at Snape, who smirked at him and winked.

"Professor, could I have a moment?" he asked his Professor.

"Certainly." Snape said, and the two sauntered off to a quiet corner to talk.

"You gave her something along with that potion didn't you?" Malfoy said.

"Indeed I did. How very observant of you Draco!" Snape replied. "I did some research and found a potion that will allow her to fight whatever effects that Goldwater has on her."

"You Genius!" Malfoy gasped punching Snape on the arm in congratulation.

"I know, I know." Snape said jovially.

"We had better let Potter and Weasley in on the deal if they are going to help out with this." Malfoy said seriously.

"Yes. Well, I'll leave you to it then shall I? I have a firewhisky that is calling my name." Snape answered and swept away leaving Malfoy to deal with the situation of telling Potter on his own.

Malfoy swaggered back over to Harry and Ron, who were watching Hermione to see if she would give any clues as to what was apparently going on!

"Potter!" Malfoy hissed, pretending to look as though he was just standing watching the dancing. "Potter!"

"What?" Harry hissed back in annoyance.

"There's something you should know." Malfoy whispered.

Harry scowled in confusion. "Why are you even talking to me Malfoy?"

"Can you just be civil for one moment? This involves Granger!" Malfoy hissed, sneering.

"Hermione?" Ron whispered, edging closer to Malfoy. "What do you know about Hermione?"

"A lot. And I'll tell you if you'll be so kind as to join me at the refreshment table." Malfoy said airlily.

"Why should we trust you?" Harry demanded in a low voice.

The three boys glanced over at Hermione, who appeared on edge as Lucas kissed her hand.

"Because I am all you have in terms of helping Granger right now. You want to know what is going on with her, and I have the answers to your questions." Malfoy answered, glaring at Lucas.

"Why are you even involved? What's your motivation for helping her?" Harry asked suspiciously.

Malfoy's head snapped back around and he stared intensly at Harry, making the boy who lived uneasy.

"You'll find out sooner or later, but It's not important." Malfoy finally answered. "All will reveal itself in time and blah blah blah." He added nonchalantly.

Ron and Harry each quirked an eyebrow.

"I'll be over by the refreshment table if you want to hear what I have to say. If not, well you can just kiss Granger goodbye." Malfoy said mysteriously and turning from them.

"Are you threatening her Malfoy?" Harry asked darkly.

Malfoy turned back around and stalked back to where Harry stood and promptly flicked him on the forehead.

Ron made a noise of disbelief.

"I'm not a threat to her you dolt!" Malfoy said indignantly, flicking Harry's head again on the last word "Goldwater is!"

"Did you just flick me?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"It was either that or a smack in the mouth for getting the wrong end of the proverbial stick, which in turn would have resulted in you smacking me back and we would have ended up rolling around in fisticuffs making a right spectacle of ourselves." Malfoy answered "Take your pick Potter."

Harry nodded. "Good choice."

"Indeed." Malfoy replied and walked away to stand mysteriously by the refreshment table.

"I dunno mate, it's Malfoy! What if he's lying and just trying to harass us again?" Ron said suspiciously, glancing over at Malfoy, who was pouring himself a glass of firewhisky.

"True, but on the other hand, he has been hanging around Mione a lot, and he was there with Snape when he asked us about Lucas and Mione. I think he does know something." Harry said.

"Right, well then, what's our answer?" Ron asked.

"Let's go. I mean, if he is lying, then it won't be long until we find out and we can just do him in. nobody will really notice he's gone." Harry said logically.

Ron nodded and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, okay, lets do that."

With their minds made up they made their way over to Malfoy, pretending to look like they were genuinely getting refreshments.

"So, decided to help your friend have you?" Malfoy muttered, feigning to drink from his glass.

"Yeah s'right." Ron replied around a mouthful of cake.

"So start singing Malfoy!" Harry said.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow in surprise, but cleared his throat, opened his mouth and took a deep breath…

"No!" Harry said quickly, "I didn't mean that you must really sing!"

"Then why did you tell me to start singing?" Malfoy demanded, miffed.

"It's a muggle term, they use it in old movies. It means start telling us the juicy gossip or what you know." Harry explained.

"How dare you use Muggle terms on me!" Malfoy sniffed, getting more than miffed.

"Shh! Calm down, you're drawing attention!" Ron said, eyeing Pansy Parkinson who was staring at Malfoy.

Malfoy grunted and turned his back to Pansy, and cutting a slice of cake for himself.

"Stupid muggles and their stupid terms." He muttered as he dumped the cake unceremoniously on a plate.

"Get on with it Malfoy, if we stand around here any longer, people will start to think we are actually talking." Harry said impatiently.

"Okay, here goes, listen very closely, I shall say this only once." Malfoy said in a low voice.

Harry and Ron leaned in closer.

"Goldwater is controlling Granger. Granger doesn't like this, she thinks is scary, in essence she's a prisoner in her own mind whenever Goldwater is around. I don't know exactly what Goldwater's plan is, or why he has chosen Granger, but I do know that whatever he is planning has to stop now. Professor Snape suspects some sort of potion or another, but Granger doesn't recall taking one, or her pumpkin juice tasting any different, so the logical explanation is that he has somehow gotten it into her by some other means. Now, here's the deal, we have to keep them apart, it would seem that as long as she is not in his immediate presence, she can think for herself…mostly. Professor Snape gave her two potions, but only appeared to give her one, pepper-up potion. The other potion he had mixed with it was a potion that would significantly weaken the effects of whatever potion Goldwater is giving Granger. Currently, we are trying to work hard on keeping them apart. We need your help with this, seeing as you are her best friends and it wouldn't appear weird or unusual to Goldwater. With me so far?" Malfoy elaborated.

Ron blinked stupidly but Harry seemed to be following.

"Okay….with you so far, but I still don't see why you are trying to help Hermione." Harry said frowning.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Why are you obsessing over that particular thing Potter? Isn't it more important to get Goldwater the hell away from Granger so that he can't unhatch whatever evil scheme he has up the evil sleeves of his hideously evil blue robes?"

"Well I suppose…" Harry said thoughtfully.

"Ugh, Chimps! I am working with Chimps!" Malfoy declared.

"Okay, we're in." Ron decided.

"Great. Now, our mission is to keep Granger from dancing with Goldwater. Keep cutting in, keep her dancing."

"But she got exhausted last time! We don't want her passing out on us!" Harry pointed out.  
"Snape has a bunch of pepper-up potion on hand." Malfoy said waving away Harry's concern.

"But if she is constantly dancing, how is he supposed to give it to her?" Ron asked, frowing.

Malfoy and Harry gave Ron a "think about it" look.

Ron suddenly winced. "Oh, I see. Poor Mione!"

"Anyway, are we all clear on our mission?" Malfoy asked.

Harry and Ron nodded.

"Good." Malfoy said satisfied.

"Wait, who dances with her first? Shouldn't we set up some sort of rota?" Ron asked.

"Potter, smack him before I do." Malfoy said, rubbing the bridge of his nose in aggrivation.

Harry gave Ron a smack on the back of the head.

"OW! What was that for?" Ron yelped.  
"You ask the stupidest questions Weasley!" Malfoy declared. "If she isn't dancing with one of us, then it's your turn! And as for your first question, I shall dance with her first. I want you to see Goldwater's reaction to prove that I'm telling the truth."

And with that said, Malfoy headed for the table where Hermione and Goldwater were.

"Care to dance Granger?" Malfoy asked, offering his hand.

"No, she wouldn't." Lucas answered before Hermione could even draw breath to answer.

"I didn't ask you, idiot. I asked Granger!" Malfoy spat.

"I said No!" Lucas said forcefully, standing and getting in Malfoy's face.

Malfoy sneered at him and looked at Hermione who was looking conflicted.

"Granger, what would YOU like to do?" Malfoy asked her politely.

"I..um…well I…oh help!" Hermione mumbled, wringing her hands.

"Mione!" Harry said cheerfully, cutting in between Malfoy and Hermione. "Lets dance, I like this erm…well it's another Waltz isn't it?"

Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her to her feet and led her to the dance floor.

"Potter, I just asked Granger to dance with me." Malfoy politely informed Harry. Of course he knew that Harry had come over to assist in getting Hermione away from Goldwater.

"Oh, well sorry. I didn't know." Harry answered handing Hermione's hand to Malfoy. "Dibs on the next dance though!" He added, winking at Hermione.

Hermione felt a flutter of even more relief. Harry knew!

She felt free and elated as Malfoy waltzed her around the floor again.

"Thank you." She told him gratefully. "For what you are doing I mean."

Malfoy snorted. "Yes well, I can't just stand by while some Bulgarian idiot comes in and takes over a fellow student's mind. Can't think that's ever good. If there's going to be any mind control, it's going to come from an insider." He sniffed "and a Slytherin to boot!"

"So if it was a fellow Slytherin who was controlling my mind, you wouldn't care?" Hermione questioned, feeling offended.

"Yes, something like that. Moreover, I'd probably have something to do with it!" Malfoy answered, laughing.

"It's not funny!" Hermione cried angrily. "I thought you actually cared about me!"

Malfoy had put his foot in it and he knew it. He looked anxiously around and met Harry's eyes, casting him a meaningful look.

Harry swept Lavender across the floor and he and Malfoy exchanged places.

"Harry!" Hermione said happily.

Lavender looked positively ecstatic to be dancing suddenly with Malfoy.

'More changes like this and less like the last change!' she thought happily.

"Hello Malfoy." She breathed, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Er..yes, hello Brown." Malfoy said in weak response.

"Doing alright Mione?" Harry asked as he turned Hermione around under his arm.  
"Fine thanks." She answered mechanically.

"No you aren't." Harry said flatly. "I know what's going on."

"I figured you did." Hermione said.

"You seemed to be angry at Malfoy. Did he insult you again?" Harry asked.

"No, he just let me down." Hermione answered without thinking. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she smacked a hand over it and turned, running away from Harry in horror. Had she just admitted out loud that she had been disappointed that Malfoy didn't actually care about her?

Harry ran after her. "Hermione!

"I need some air!" she called back to him over her shoulder.

She had almost reached the door when she collided with something hard that had just stepped in front of her.

"Professor!" She cried in despair as she beheld Snape.

"Potion Miss Granger?" he asked quietly.

"No, I just need some air!" She gasped, feeling hot. She couldn't breathe and the walls felt like they were closing in around her. She needed to run, and keep running and never look back. Too many people were involved in her rescue! It was so confusing!

"Please Professor!" She cried desperately, getting hysterical.

"Calm yourself Miss Granger." Snape said softly. "Come with me."

Reluctantly, she followed Snape out of the Great hall and out into the fresh crisp evening air.

"How are you holding up?" Snape asked her as she gulped in the air, pacing around in front of the Castle steps.

"Not very well!" She said near to tears. "I have a boy who is for some mysterious reason, controlling my mind and emotions, I have three other boys trying, it would seem, to keep me dancing constantly, and I have you slipping me potions, keeping me going and making me suffer through this accursed ball!" she fairly screamed at him.

Snape eyed her with curiosity and calculation. "Mr Malfoy said something didn't he?"

Hermione's head snapped up and she stared at him. "What?"

"Mr Malfoy said something that upset you." Snape elaborated.

Hermione looked away, the memory coming to mind, along with some tears.

"I think I'm right." Snape said.

He got a sniffle in response.

"He's such a….a BOY!" She cried angrily.

"What has he done that has confused you? I thought was being very clear!" Snape said

"Clear?" Hermione whispered "CLEAR?" she then bellowed. "He was anything but clear! One minute he's trying to kiss me, the next he's insulting me! What is wrong with him!" She cried, kicking a clump of grass, and unintentionally sending it flying at Snape.

"Miss Granger, I hardly think getting hysterical over the matter is going to help." Snape pointed out, lazily tilting his head as the clump of grass flew at him and hit the wall behind him.

"Besides, you like Goldwater don't you?" Snape asked icily.

This earned him a cold glare, which he returned with interest.

"Come now, Miss Granger, we both know that Mr Malfoy has a certain…interest in you of late."

"Yes well he doesn't seem to now." Hermione snapped.

"I see differently." Snape said wearily.

"What do you see?" Hermione asked, a small tear falling from her right eye.

"I see him wanting to protect you from harm, I see him staring at you, following you, slowly becoming besotted with you." Snape elaborated. "And let me tell you, for a Malfoy, that is unusual. Malfoy's don't become besotted with anyone, unless they really mean it. Such was the case of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's parents."

Hermione's interest was sparked. She wiped her tear impatiently away and stepped closer to Snape. "Tell me more." She said sniffling.

"Lucius became besotted with Narcissa here at Hogwarts after kissing her beneath the same accursed plant that makes all of our current lives a misery. Narcissa however, had no interest in dear old Lucius. This only made him want her more it seemed. Gradually, Narcissa gave in and admitted that she had also fallen in love with him, hence, when they graduated from Hogwarts, they married and had Draco a year later." Snape said shaking his head wistfully.

"What took Narcissa so long to fall in love with Lucius?" Hermione asked, feeling just a little sorry for Draco's father.

Snape smirked slightly shaking his head almost in disbelief. "Narcissa had her eye on someone else at the time. Someone that would seem very unlikely to be able to have anyone feel for them such an emotion as she held for him."

"Who was it?" Hermione urged. This was just like a story from a book!

Snape was quiet for a moment before answering. "It was me."

Hermione's jaw dropped. No way! Narcissa had been in love with Snape and Lucius had to compete? Surely not!

"You don't believe me do you?" Snape asked, smirking. "Perfectly understandable. Look at me, compared to Lucius!"

"I…no I believe you. I'm just a little shocked. Did you…um..did you return Narcissa's feelings?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"No." Snape answered "She was not my type as it were. I told her to consider Lucius's offer. She was better matched to him than me. Apparantly, she listened to me and went with him. Lucius never knew about my telling her to go to him. He still thinks that he won her heart and beat me in the bid for it. Whatever gets him through the night I suppose."

This comment made Hermione laugh. Then it suddenly occurred to her that she was having a normal conversation with Snape. She had seen a side of him that she knew that nobody else had seen for a very long time, she saw him as a man, not just a professor. He had feelings, just like everyone else.

"I'm sorry I got hysterical Professor." She said meekly. "I didn't mean to take it out on you."

Snape seemed surprised at her sudden apology. "I understand. I'm telling you this because the situation is similar to your own. Well, not that similar if you consider the suspicious mind controlling and possible kidnapping of you by one and former enemy suddenly turned friend for the other, but the basic message is the same. Go with the Malfoy. He may have been rude and abrupt with you in the past, but he's offering you a rope to pull you from the cliff from which you currently dangle."

This gave Hermione a lot to think about. Malfoy was and had always been her enemy, she wanted to escape from Lucas and Malfoy seemed like the only option. If Snape was right and Malfoy had fallen in love with her, what was she to do? Did she return his feelings? She couldn't currently identify what her feelings were considering her predicament with having her mind and emotions overridden by Lucas. If she could just have a moment to think clearly, she would be able to figure it out. Then it hit her! The Mistletoe! When she and Malfoy had been beneath it before, Lucas didn't even enter her mind! She could think and feel for herself!

"Thanks Professor, You've helped me more than I can say!" she breathed. "I know what I have to do now!" She was so happy to finally have figured at least something out that she almost hugged him.

Snape smirked. "But for now, you have to dance awhile. Less hurry more speed."

Hermione nodded and followed Snape back into the great hall, where Harry and Ron met her immediately.

"I know what you guys are doing now. Thanks." She said smiling at them. "Which one of you first?"

"ME!" Ron said stepping forward and spinning her onto the dancefloor.

The hadn't been dancing long, when Lucas made his appearance, and tapped Ron on the shoulder. "May I cut in?"

Hermione felt a pull towards Lucas. She suddenly missed him and needed him, craved him.

"Um..well…uh." Ron stammered. He didn't know how to handle the situation.

Luckily, someone was nearby and swept Hermione briskly away from Ron leaving him with Lucas who looked furious.

Malfoy smirked at her. "Hello again Granger."

"Hello." She answered airily. "So I get you again do I?"

"Is that a problem?" Malfoy asked, lifting her up briefly and placing her back down as the dance conducted.

"No." Hermione answered. "I just wondered why you would care to dance with me if I mean so little to you."

Malfoy winced. "Let's not talk about that right now. Let's just enjoy the dance." He suggested.

Hermione snorted. "Enjoy it, with you?" she sneered. Darn it! There it was again, that urge to be really mean to Malfoy. She didn't want to be it just sort of happened.

"Yes, with me." Malfoy replied, ignoring her tone.

"As if that's even possible. I don't like you Malfoy, I don't even want to breathe the same air as you." She spat venomously.

Malfoy's eyes betrayed his cool exterior. He was hurt by her comment.

"In fact," Hermione blindly continued, desperately trying to not to say anything at all "I would rather dance with Snape than you!"

Apparantly this was too much for Malfoy Junior and she promptly found herself being shoved at Snape who was innocently sipping a glass of firewhisky and nearly spilled it all over himself when she was thrown at him.

"Here! Take the wench! You can have her!" Malfoy hissed at Snape.

Snape looked just as confused as she did to find Hermione being shoved at him by an irate looking Malfoy Junior who was stalking off across the great hall, shoving people out of his way.

"What is his problem now?" Snape asked, stepping in time with the music.

"I was very mean. Unintentionally." Hermione answered, hanging her head in shame.

"Do you remember what you said?" Snape asked, twirling her under his arm.  
"Vaguely. I remember saying something like not wanting to breathe the same air as him and that I would rather dance with you than him." Hermione said blushing.

"Ouch." Snape remarked. "It's Lucius all over again!"

"That's what I thought." Hermione agreed "What should I do? Everytime I'm near him I have this urge to insult and be horrible to him."

"I don't know what you should do. Go apologise!" Snape said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world to do.

"I can't!" Hermione protested "My mouth won't let me! Can't you do it?"

"Very well." Snape said sighing, nodding at Harry who was watching from across the room.

Harry came over and took over dancing with Hermione just before Lucas got to her.

"You'll have to be faster than that!" Harry told him, grinning.

Hermione gazed at Lucas with a lovesick look.

Meanwhile, Snape had found Malfoy by the drinks table, chugging firewhisky.

"Drowning your sorrows?" Snape asked.

"You should know about that." Malfoy remarked in response.

"True, and it won't solve your problems." Snape said wisely. "Oh for Merlin's sake Draco, just confess your undying love to her and we can all get on with our lives!" Snape said getting irritated. How did he ever get dragged into this?

"You didn't hear what she said to me." Malfoy said venomously.

"She told me what she said. You know very well that she isn't in control of what she's saying. I know what she said hurt, it's like your father all over again."  
Malfoy shuddered. "Don't remind me. I was stupid enough to ask why you were never invited over for lunch by my father. He's still convinced that Mother harbours…feelings for you."

Snape sighed. "Still?"

"I think it's funny really." Malfoy remarked lightly. "Father thinking that you are a threat."

"At any rate, it's time to bring this highly irritating game to an end Draco." Snape said seriously. "Miss Granger can't go on like this, not for much longer. She's finding it hard to be away from him. His pull it seems has increased in strength."

At these words, Malfoy scanned the crowd for Hermione, and found her looking yearningly at Lucas, trying to escape from Harry's hold at every opportunity.

Lucas suddenly grabbed Hermione from Harry's grasp and kissed her soundly. Then he took her hand and led her from the great hall.

Harry gaped in disbelief and his eyes told of sorrow as he watched them go. He had let her down.

Suddenly, Malfoy's eyes darkened and he growled low in his throat.

Snape smirked. He recognized it immediately. Malfoy protective jealousy. It was a wondrous thing when aroused. Miss Granger would be quite safe.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N I would like to figure out how to put links to music on my Livejournal but don't know how. The reason I want to do this is so I can share the music that was in my mind for the ball and perhaps a love theme for Draco and Hermione. Anyone any ideas on how to go about that?**

Chapter 14

Harry stood where Hermione had left him, staring at his hands.

Ron went to him and patted him comfortingly on the shoulder.

"S'alright mate, you did your best." He said bracingly.

"But it wasn't enough." Harry said bitterly.

"Don't worry about it mate! Looks like Malfoy's on the case anyway." Ron pointed out nodding in the direction of an Irate Malfoy storming after Lucas and Hermione.

Harry snorted. "When did she stop needing us Ron?" He asked sadly.

"Our Mione's all grown up." Ron agreed.

Meanwhile, Snape went to inform Dumbledore of the recent developments.

"True love will prevail!" Dumbledore said heartily. "Don't worry Severus. He'll be fine. If he needs assistance, we'll be there."

As this was happening, Lucas had led Hermione out of the Great hall and up the steps in the entrance hall.

Malfoy wanted nothing more than to fly at Goldwater and knock all of his perfect teeth out and hex him to bits. But, being the dashing and smart Malfoy that he was, he thought it best to just shadow them for a bit and get some evidence with which to prosecute with.

They stopped suddenly and Lucas held Hermione's face in his hands and kissed her again.

Malfoy felt that now familiar urge to hex Lucas into the next dimension, but retained his urge and contented himself with using his imagination to produce graphic images of Lucas hanging by his entrails from the Castle walls while he and Hermione danced in victory below and Snape bottling Lucas's blood as it trickled down the castle walls for future potion use.

Hermione sighed and her knees gave way. Lucas caught her before she hit the floor and picked her up, carrying her bridal style along the dark corridor with Hermione lying limp in his arms.

Malfoy debated whether he should go back for Potter's invisibility cloak.

He didn't debate with himself for long, he was soon hot-tailing it back to Potter and within moments, had Potter summoning his Invisibility cloak.

He dashed back to where he had left Lucas and Hermione and threw on the cloak.

The corridor was pitch black, and Malfoy couldn't see a hand in front of his face. He crept along, wishing that his hearing or his sense of smell was inhumanly better. Then an idea struck him. His father had taught him some obscure spells, spells that had made him laugh at the time and he had asked his father why on earth he would need such spells, but Lucius had told him rather firmly that he would regret not knowing such obscure spells one day.

Well…he had been right, and Draco was indeed very grateful that he had learned them.

Pointing his wand at himself, he whispered the incantation his father had taught him.

Immediately, everything he could smell was amplified and then some! His hearing was sharpened and he could hear the scuttling of mice in the walls.

Reeling somewhat from this sudden onslaught of smells and sounds, Malfoy stood still to get his bearings back.

Once he had identified the smells around him…noting that Dumbledore really needed to take care of a moldy curtain behind some wall or another on the third floor corridor…Malfoy continued to hunt for Lucas and Hermione.

He crept along for a few minutes, listening and wrinkling his nose at the invisibility cloak. How old was that thing? Had Potter locked it away with a dead owl or something? Taking the opportunity of being alone, he reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out a small bottle of his cologne, and sprayed some on Harry's cloak. Nodding his approval, he turned his attention back to Hermione.

Okay, so maybe the cologne thing wasn't such a bright idea after all, now he couldn't smell anything but that and it was beginning to give him a headache.

He lifted the cloak so that his nose poked out of the opening. To anyone wandering the corridor, all they would have seen would be a lone nose floating down the corridor, sniffing randomly.

Once outside the cloak, he could smell normal things again.

Sniffing the air, he suddenly caught a familiar scent. Granger. He didn't know why it was familiar, it wasn't like he had ever paid attention to how Granger smelled, but he just knew it was her and it was alarmingly familiar in a very alarmingly comforting way.

Resisting the urge to sigh with contentment, he soldiered on, quickening his pace.

Suddenly, two shapes loomed out of the darkness, catching Malfoy by surprise. He almost ran right into them.

Hermione had woken up and Lucas was now leading her by the hand down what seemed to be a neverending corridor.

Just then, an idea struck Malfoy. He scooted around them deftly and ran as quietly as he could a little ways up the dark corridor then stopped and turned to face the direction from which Lucas and Hermione were coming.

He took off the Invisibility cloak and shrunk it with a spell. He stuffed it into the inside pocket of his robes and waited.

He could hear their footsteps and voices.

"Yes my darling Hermione, tonight you will be mine at last, without that interfering Potions pest and his little minion!" Lucas said caressing her name on his tongue.

"You mean Professor Snape and Malfoy?" Hermione said, trying to ignore the other part.

Apparantly Lucas was seeking some sort of comfort from Hermione because his next question to her was surprisingly not really all that surprising.

"Tell my what you really think about them!"

"Malfoy is a pratt. A blonde, airheaded, pompous, arrogant Pratt!" Hermione said savagely. "He irritates me to no end. I hate him with every fiber of my being!"

Malfoy swore he felt his heart break, but being the brave and unflappable Malfoy that he was, didn't show it…not that anyone could see it if he did show it, it was so darn dark in this forgotten corridor! Why did Dumbledore have a thing against lighting stuff? Was he burned by a candle in a forgotten corridor sometime in his childhood? Perhaps one of his lemon drops perished by way of being burned by a candle or torch…

"Wonderful, and what of Snape?" Lucas went on.

"He's just as arrogant. Of course, he knows his stuff when it comes to potions, but he's just a big idiot really. Nothing but a bully and one wonders why the class can even bear to look at him he is so hideous, I mean, really! Would a little attention to personal appearance kill him?"

Hermione was screaming at herself to stop lying from that little prison in her mind. She actually thought quite different about both men, well, mostly anyway. Snape could use a little shampoo now and then, but he didn't smell bad…quite pleasant most of the time. And he was intelligent too. He may be quite tough on them a lot, but all in all, that made him a better teacher!

And Malfoy…well she just had to admit to herself that he wasn't bad on the eyes! And he did carry a certain charm with him. One couldn't help but be a little curious about what it would be like to be loved by one Draco Malfoy, those eyes…so intense and his lips…

"Hermione, you look flushed my dear!" Lucas said softly in her ear.

She had lost herself in thought again. And thinking about Malfoy in that way! Goodness what was the world coming to!  
"I apologise, my mind was wandering." Hermione stammered.

"Well, don't let it wander too far away, it may never come back and then where would we be?" Lucas said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked in her head. "What are you plotting?"

Of course, on the outside, she showed no sign of question or suspicion of Lucas, her stupid body wouldn't allow it!

Suddenly, Lucas collided with something and was promptly shoved roughly back, causing him to knock Hermione over.

She landed rather hard on her bottom, but was too surprised to complain.

"Get away from me you filth!" Came a familiar sneer.

"Malfoy?" Hermione gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Yes, do tell us why you are lurking around here when you should be at the ball?" Lucas sneered sarcastically.

"I go where I want, when I want." Was Malfoy's curt reply. He stepped closer to Lucas, and lit his wand so that their faces were illuminated, their noses were almost touching.

Hermione felt a flicker of anticipation as she sat there on the floor. Was Malfoy going to hex Lucas, or was Lucas going to pulverize Malfoy? Both boys looked livid.

Suddenly, Malfoy's eyes shifted to her, making her heart leap into her throat.

"Alright there Granger?" he said smirking.

"He- hello Malfoy." Hermione squeaked. It was all she could muster. Just being in Malfoy's presence was wonderful. She could think for herself for starters, and she could manage to squeak civil words at him. This was good. Yes. She would just have to stay around Malfoy for as long as Lucas was persuing her.

Lucas did not look pleased to have run into Malfoy in what he obviously thought was a deserted corridor.

"What are you doing here anyway? Have you nothing better to do?" He demanded.

"Actually, no. I like to lurk in dark deserted corridors, it's my favorite pastime, and you are infringing on that! This is my deserted dark corridor, so why don't you just back off!" Malfoy spat.

"Whatever. I don't have time for this, Hermione and I have to be somewhere, so if you will excuse us…" Lucas said grabbing Hermione and hauling her to her feet. "Come Hermione, your surprise awaits."

"Just a minute," Malfoy said regally, throwing an arm out to stop Lucas in his tracks. "I didn't say you could go."

Lucas looked like he wanted to tear Malfoy in two with his bear hands. Instead, he glared menacingly at him.

"I don't need your permission." He spat.  
"Oh, but you do." Malfoy said sincerely. "you have something of mine that I want back."

"Oh? And what would that be?" Lucas demanded, eyes glinting in the light from Malfoy's wand.

Malfoy's hand shot out and grabbed Hermione's, with one yank, she found herself free from Lucas's grasp and standing beside Malfoy.  
Lucas made to grab her but Malfoy stepped in front of her. "I don't think so. Like I said, You had something of mine that I wanted back. I just took it."

Hermione wanted to do a victory dance right there, but thought it might be a bit inappropriate, given the circumstance. She actually didn't care that Malfoy had just referred to her as belonging to him much like a school bag or the like, she was just happy to be free from Lucas's grip.

"How dare you!" Lucas growled. "Give her back or I swear you will regret it."

"No, I don't think I will." Malfoy said in mock thought.

"You don't know who or what you are meddling in!" Lucas warned.

"Yeah? Enlighten me." Malfoy said, his wand on Lucas.

Lucas said nothing, but glared murderously at Malfoy.

"I'll just escort Granger here back to the ball." Malfoy said silkily. "They will be wondering where she went."

"You won't." Lucas growled and started after them.

Malfoy grabbed Hermione's hand and held it tightly. "Leg it!" he hissed at her.  
Without hesitation, they broke into a run, tearing off down the corridor into the darkness.

They could hear Lucas running after them.

Hermione's heart was pounding, suddenly she stumbled. She had trod on her dress.

Malfoy hauled her up right and pulled her along further. "Keep running, follow my lead." He whispered to her.

Hermione nodded and kept running. Her chest was beginning to hurt.

Suddenly, she was yanked to the side and found herself against a wall.

Resisting the urge to scream, she froze.

After a few seconds, she felt around to see where she was.

There was a wall behind her obviously, to the side, another wall and in front of her, a person. Malfoy.

"Where are we?" she whispered, her breath trembling.

"A broom cupboard." Came his hushed reply.

They could hear Lucas approaching outside the cupboard. His footsteps slowed and they stopped at the door.

Hermione's heart was pounding loud in her ears. This was so scary!

"Come out come out wherever you are!" Lucas called "I know you are here somewhere. Malfoy. When I find you I'm going to kill you. I'm going to relish it. Then when you are lying in a pool of your own blood, I'm taking the girl and completing the task I have been assigned!"

Malfoy and Hermione froze.

"You can't hide forever." Lucas snarled. "I'll find you Hermione. And then you will get to meet him. Oh you will love it. He has need of your great mind. Your magic. Such power! You will be treated like a queen Hermione, your every whim will be bowed to, what more could a girl want?"

Hermione began to tremble. So that was his plan. He was going to take her to Voldemort.

She felt Malfoy move closer to her. His presence was comforting, in spite of the fact that it was Malfoy. He was familiar and that's all she needed.

"He won't hurt you Hermione, no, he has too great a need of you for that. You will be his queen, Hermione. He desires this." Lucas went on.

Hermione shuddered. Voldemort desired her? That was enough to make her want to throw up.

Malfoy raised his wand and silently said and incantation, then lowered his wand.

Suddenly, She felt a finger under her chin. Then warm soft lips touched hers.

'Oh…my…God' Hermione's mind thought. She relaxed into the kiss, Lucas's voice being drowned out by the passion in the kiss Malfoy was bestowing upon her. Her knees were going weak and she felt as though she was floating. Wanting more, she opened her mouth slightly.

Malfoy obliged and deepened the kiss, pulling her to him.

She didn't know how much time had passed, it could have been seconds, minutes, hours or even days. She didn't know. But suddenly, the door was flung open and a hand was pulling her away from Malfoy.

Malfoy gave a small whimper, much like a child who had just had a favorite toy snatched from him.

There was a small chuckle.

Hermione opened her eyes and gasped. "Professor Snape!"

"Hello Miss Granger." Snape greeted "I trust you are well."

Hermione flushed. "I…well..I"

"No need Miss Granger." Professor Dumbledore said cheerfully "I can see you were enjoying the company of Mr Malfoy for a few moments."

"What happened? Where is the idiot?" Malfoy asked, coming to.

"He wasn't here when we arrived. He must have heard us coming and fled." Snape answered. "No matter, we will get him soon enough, he can't hide for long."

"Ah, but Severus, there is the small matter of evidence against Mr Goldwater." Dumbledore pointed out dolefully.

"We can give you statements on what he said." Malfoy pointed out.  
"Still, it will be your word against his." Dumbledore reminded him.

"Veritaserum!" Hermione said pointing suddenly at Snape in a fit of passion. "Professor! You have lots do you not, from our class?"

Snape seemed slightly taken aback at Hermione's sudden outburst but nodded. "Indeed."

"Then use it!" Malfoy said.

"Well there are certain laws…" Dumbledore said gently.  
"If he is suspected of something, we can use it." Snape elaborated.

There was silence in the group as they all thought hard about what could be done to convict Lucas Goldwater of trying to kidnap Hermione and give her to Voldemort for his own use.

"Veritaserum it is." Dumbledore said resolutely to Snape.

Malfoy grinned. "Wonderful."

"When and where?" Snape asked as though he had just asked where a dinner party he'd just been invited to was being held.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 

Hermione and Malfoy hurried along behind Snape and Dumbledore, heading back to the ball. The current plan was that Lucas was obviously still around somewhere in the castle or grounds, and therefore, Hermione was to be kept under strict watch for the remainder of the evening.

"Hurry now, we don't want anyone suspecting anything. The last thing we need is for public awareness of this dire situation that you find yourself in Miss Granger. One whisper of Voldemort's name will cause mass panic in the school." Dumbledore said urgently, sweeping Hermione before him, taking care not to tread on her dress.

Hermione picked up her skirts a little higher and began to jog along behind Snape.

On her right was Malfoy, hurrying along beside her, his face set in a determined scowl.

"Watch out!" Snape said suddenly dodging to the left.

But it was too late for Hermione and Malfoy.  
"Confounded Mistletoe!" Snape hissed giving the offending plant a look of pure loathing.

"Actually I don't mind it so much now!" Malfoy smirked, making Hermione blush as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"You won't think that if you get caught under that thing with Eloise Midgen!" Snape remarked diverting his eyes as Malfoy leaned in. Dumbledore chuckled again from behind them.

"Alright, alright break it up! We are on a mission!" Snape said pulling the two apart for the second time in ten minutes.

Hermione blushed again and the four set off again.

As they hurried along, Hermione began to think about how serious a situation she was in. Voldemort wanted her for his queen, wife or something like that, he had some wizard who was really good at seduction luring her in and then there was Malfoy, who's father was in Voldemort's circle of followers, apparently taking quite a deep interest in her himself. If Malfoy were to be found out…he would be killed, and then there was Snape to consider, if he was found to be helping them at all…he would die too.

"Alright, I think it best we keep Miss Granger between us as much as possible…without looking ridiculous that is." Snape said wisely to Dumbledore and Malfoy as they reached the closed doors to the Great Hall.

Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "Indeed, the idea has merit, Severus. However, there is one flaw in you ingenious plan…" With a flick of his hand, the doors swung open and they were blasted with music. It wasn't the waltz or classical music they had left, but some form of rock music.

"We have to get through that." Dumbledore finished nodding at the overly crowded hall which was now moving with the dancing bodies of students.

Snape surveyed the hall, then promptly leaned forward and pulled the doors shut firmly, and took to glaring at the doors.

"Well I'm out of ideas!" he snapped as he stuck a finger in his ear and rubbed it around as it was ringing from the blast of music.

"I'm not." Dumbledore said innocently.  
"Yes, but knowing you, your idea will have us doing something ridiculous earning us utter humiliation in front of the whole school." Snape replied ruefully.

Malfoy and Hermione looked from Snape to Dumbledore and back again as they spoke.

"I don't want to be humiliated." Malfoy piped up.

"None of us do." Hermione said quietly. All of this for her. It simply wasn't worth the hassle. Surely she could walk into the great hall without being kidnapped!

"I'll just go in myself and meet you all at the head table." She said heading for the doors.

Snape stepped in front of her blocking her path.  
"You will do no such thing." He said firmly.

Hermione sighed. There was no point in arguing.

"We'll just have to push our way through." Malfoy said, wincing at the thought of being touched and bumped into by so many people.

"Okay, well let's get to it, It's not wise to linger here so exposed." Snape said firmly.

"Remember, stick together." He added as an afterthought to the others before throwing the doors open.

"What fun!" Dumbledore said merrily. "This is just like a storybook adventure!"

"Lets just hope it has a happy ending!" Hermione said tensely.

They went in and squeezed their way through the crowd. Snape helped a lot though by making his presence known, glaring down at Girls who mistook him for boys as they danced, trying to be seductive, but upon realizing that it was Snape they were dancing up against, promptly screamed and backed hastily away.

Malfoy suddenly remarked that someone had grabbed his bottom and Hermione agreed and let out a shocked squeal as she felt her own being pinched by some Slytherin boys they were squeezing past. One went so far as to lift her dress up high, exposing her thigh.

"Stop that!" Snape snapped at them, slapping the boy's hand away from Hermione's skirts. "Have you no manners? Disgusting boy."

"How rude!" Hermione declared to them. They just smirked at her in response and one boy stepped forward and leaned towards her, leering at her and said in her ear "How about you and me go for a little walk, I'll show you what you've been missing in Gryffindor!"

Malfoy got in his face however "You'd better back the hell off Ainsbury."

Ainsbury sneered, but backed away.

"'scuse us, pardon me…oh I do apologize!" Dumbledore said as he trod on someone's head as they were breakdancing.

Snape had no problems stomping on people as he saw fit. He figured that if they were going to be so stupid as to spin around on the floor, they would make rather good rugs.

Finally, they managed to battle their way through the crowd, emerging on the other side in one piece.

"Well that wasn't too bad." Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"You mean aside from us getting molested and grabbed?" Malfoy said with disgust.

"And getting propositioned by Slytherins?" Hermione put in.

Snape eyed her sternly. "I am by no means condoning their behavior Miss Granger, but they are Slytherins. It is in their nature to be driven towards prizes."

"I am not a prize to be won!" Hermione said, flaring up.

"I agree." Snape said coldly. "But they don't see it that way!"

"Let's not argue here!" Malfoy said hastily. "We do have work to do."

Snape and Hermione glared at each other for a few more seconds before huffily turning away.  
"Well now that we are here, what shall we do? We can't just stand here, it'll look weird." Malfoy wondered aloud.

"This is so irritating!" Snape snapped, looking around at the dancing students. "Why couldn't this have been better timed?"

"Umm, because maybe his plan was to kidnap her tonight?" Malfoy pointed out, earning him a steely glare from Snape.

"Shouldn't we tell Harry and Ron what we have found out?" Hermione asked urgently.

"I wouldn't advise it. The last thing we need is Messers Potter and Weasley getting all upset and charging into battle." Snape said dryly.

Hermione scowled at him.

"Don't you look at me with that tone of voice or it will be a weeks worth of detentions for you!" Snape warned her, glaring back at her.

The two glared and glared some more before Dumbledore interrupted. "If you two aren't going to get along, the enemy will have won."  
"What do you mean?" Snape asked shortly, still glaring at Hermione.

"You'll be positively throwing her at Voldemort and yelling 'here, take the wench before I kill her!'" Dumbledore chuckled.

"Now there's an idea!" Snape said thoughtfully.

"You wouldn't dare!" Hermione exclaimed to Snape.

"Try me." Snape challenged.

Malfoy watched all this worriedly. "Professor Snape, you wouldn't would you?" he asked.

"Don't be a fool Draco. I may not like Miss Granger much, but I wouldn't dream of giving Voldemort what he wants." Snape said quietly, turning to Malfoy.

Malfoy nodded, smiling.

"But then again…" Snape said mockingly.

"Oh I've had enough of this!" Hermione snapped, turning and stalking off through the crowd towards the doors.  
"Hermione!" Malfoy called. "Come back here!"

"No! If he's going to be such an ass about it, I don't want his help." She snapped.

"Way to go!" Malfoy grunted to Snape, before hurrying off after Hermione.

They reached the doors to the great hall and Malfoy grabbed her arm.

"Granger, look. Snape is…well he's Snape. There's no excuse for him!" He said lightly.

Hermione snorted and shoved the door open and marched out of the Great hall.

"I'm tired of this whole thing. Lucas has gone. I'm in Hogwarts, and therefore perfectly safe." She said, throwing her hands up in the air in aggrivation.

"Yes, but he could still be here, we don't know that yet. That's why Dumbledore wanted you to stay with us at all times.

"Well I won't!" Hermione snapped. "I told you, I've had enough and I won't be made to feel afraid in a place I call home!"

"I understand what you are saying, Granger, but you have to accept that it's not safe! You must stay with us! Now come back into the great hall while we figure out what to do next!" Malfoy ordered.  
"I will not!" Hermione declared stubbornly. "I'm leaving, goodnight Malfoy." She added curtly before turning and running up the grand staircase.  
"Don't make me chase you Granger." Malfoy said warningly.

"You have enough trouble catching the snitch Malfoy, I doubt you can catch me any better!" She retorted, picking up her skirts.

"Alright, have it your way then.." Malfoy said airily before darting toward her.

Hermione didn't have time to make a sound as Malfoy reached her and put her over his shoulder in one swift move.

"What are you….put me down this instant Draco Malfoy!" Hermione cried, beating Malfoy's back with her fists.

"Or what?" Malfoy sneered.  
"I shall scream bloody murder!" Hermione warned.

"Go ahead." Malfoy said casually.  
And so she did. Malfoy feared he was near deaf by the time he had reached the bottom of the stairs.

Suddenly, they heard a noise. Malfoy froze. "Shh!" he told the now hoarse Hermione.

She stopped abruptly. "What is it?" she demanded.

"SHH!" Malfoy said more urgently, straining to hear the sound that had unnerved him.  
He felt Hermione tense as the noise occurred again. It was a strange dull thumping noise and it was getting louder.

"What is that?" Hermione whispered.

Malfoy lowered Hermione to the ground and stared at the Doors of the Castle, frowning slightly. "I'm not sure."

"I think we should get Dumbledore!" Hermione whispered nervously.

Malfoy nodded "But first, I want to see if we can see anything."

"The library!" Hermione gasped, and began running for the library doors that were opposite the great hall.  
Malfoy ran after her and they hurried to the first window.

"Oh…my…what the…" Hermione whispered in shock.

Outside, marching across the grounds were what looked like a hundred death eaters.

Hermione wasted no time. "DUMBLEDORE! DUMBLEDORE!" She cried desperately as she bolted for the Great hall, Malfoy hot on her heels.

They burst into the Great Hall, Hermione still yelling for Dumbledore.  
The music stopped and Hermione and Draco continued to run, pushing their way desperately through the throng of bewildered students.

"DUMBLEDORE!" Hermione cried desperately again.

"There there, child!" Dumbledore's soothing voice came from somewhere to her left. "I'm here, what is it?"

"Oh Professor Dumbledore! It's awful!" Hermione said, clutching Dumbledore's robes.

"What has happened?" Snape demanded, coming up to them.

"Death eaters!" Hermione cried.

There was a collective gasp from the students, but Hermione ignored them.  
"Death eaters here, and they are heading for the Castle!" She cried.

"Why was I not called?" Snape said in confusion.

"Who cares!" Hermione cried at him, "They are here and they are heading for the castle!"

The students began to panic, talking frantically.

"SILENCE!" Dumbleore yelled. He turned to Snape. "Severus, take Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy and hide them, separately if you can. It would not help matters for either of them if they were to be found together."

Snape nodded and ushered Hermione and Malfoy before him.

"The rest of you…" Dumbledore faultered "Get your wands ready. First, second and third years, get to Gryffindor tower, immediately! Gryffindor's let them in, tell the fat lady to allow entrance to everyone from the other houses."

Instantly, there were shouts of "Accio Wand!" from fourth years and up and the rest dashed for the door.

"Brace yourself Minerva." Dumbledore said to Professor McGonnagall "This is going to be most unpleasant."

Meanwhile, Snape, Hermione and Malfoy were running through the castle.  
"Where are you taking us?" Hermione asked Snape as they ran.  
"Somewhere safe. Somewhere I hope they won't think of looking for you." Snape replied.

He turned suddenly and dashed through a door on his left.  
They found themselves in the girls bathroom.

"Oh! Visitors!" Moaning Myrtle gasped excitedly. "Nobody ever visits me anymore…oh, Hello Professor Snape!" She giggled flirtatiously.

"Draco, you hide in here." Snape said urgently, "Myrtle, don't let on that he's in here, if anyone comes in asking, tell them you are all alone as usual, and make it sound convincing!"

"Yes Professor!" Myrtle giggled.

"Miss Granger, come with me." Snape said, grabbing Hermione and shoving her back out of the door.

"Where are you taking me?" Hermione asked as they ran back through the castle.

"I already told you, somewhere safe!" Snape said irritably.

He led her down to the dungeons and shoved her inside his classroom, closing the door behind them.  
Hermione turned to him and stared. "Here? This is where you are going to hide me?" She asked. "They'll find me here! They'll come looking for you once they realize you aren't in the great hall with the rest of the professors and this will be the first place they look!"

"Miss Granger, don't presume to tell me where to hide you." Snape snapped as he rushed around his classroom, grabbing potions and putting them in his robes. Once he had gotten all that he wanted, he grabbed Hermione by the arm and dragged her through his office, then tapped the stone wall with his wand in a complicated pattern. A door appeared and he threw it open, revealing his living quarters, containing a large four poster bed, bookcases, a couch and a roaring fire. Dragging Hermione with him he marched over to his wardrobe.  
"Get in." he said hurriedly, throwing the door to the wardrobe open and shoving Hermione inside, gathering her skirts up and stuffing them in with her.

"Professor, what are you going to do?" She asked around the velvet and netting of her underskirts.

"Go and fight with Dumbledore and the other Professors." Snape answered. "Stay here. Under no circumstances are you to leave this wardrobe until I or another professor comes for you, do you understand me?" he said sternly.

Hermione nodded. "Good luck Professor." She said quietly.  
"Good luck to you too. If you are found, you are going to need it more than I Miss Granger." Snape said before closing the wardrobe door and hurrying out of his quarters, warding his living space before he went to join Dumbldeore.

Hermione heard Snape leaving, then she was plunged into silence as well as darkness.

"I don't like this…I don't like this at all." She whispered to the nothingness.

She felt around her to see what size of wardrobe she was shut into.

Robes, obviously surrounded her. She fumbled around, her hand running over the bottom of the wardrobe and ran over something else…shoes, by the feel of it…what else…what was that? She felt around some more, trying to figure out what the object was. It was smooth and cool against her fingers, like porcelain. There were holes in it, three of them, suddenly she figured it out and promptly dropped the object, shuddering.

"Oh my….his deatheater mask!" She whispered in a squeak, she pushed it away from her to the very back corner of the wardrobe, trying not to think about it.

Meanwhile, Draco was being entertained by Moaning Myrtle in the Girls bathroom.

"What shall we play next Mr Malfoy?" Myrtle giggled mischievously as she glided closer to Draco.

"Um, how about nothing." Malfoy suggested. He didn't like how this ghost was looking at him.

"Oh you are no fun!" She pouted. "You know, I was at School with your father."

"Really?" Malfoy said.

"Yes. He was lots of fun!" Myrtle pouted "Not like you."

"Yes, well I'm not much like my father at all as it happens." Malfoy snorted.

"You look just like him!" Myrtle countered.

"I mean aside from that you dolt!" Malfoy snapped.

"There's no need to be mean!" Myrtle said tearfully.

"I'm sorry, it's just that it's kind of a tense time right now, what with deatheaters storming the castle and all." Malfoy said with a sigh.

"That doesn't sound good." Myrtle said sadly.

Down in the Great Hall, Dumbledore was boosting morale.

"Now don't panic, we can do this. You are all very well trained in Defense against the Dark Arts, this is going to involve much of what you have learned. That which you have not learned, well we'll cross that bridge if need be, I give you free reign, go ahead and improvise if you feel the need. Don't worry about killing, it's alright to do in this circumstance."

The fact that they could improvise seemed to calm the students and they appeared braver and more bolstered.

Suddenly the doors to the Great Hall burst open and hundreds of wands instantly were trained on…Snape.

He was Running toward the other professors and didn't seem to care that he had almost been zapped by hundreds of different spells that surely would have killed him.

He arrived at Dumbledore's side, panting.  
"Are they hidden?" Dumbledore asked.

Snape nodded, still trying to catch his breath.

"Where?" Dumbledore asked.  
"Mr Malfoy is currently being entertained my Myrtle in the girls toilet and Miss Granger is stuffed into my wardrobe in my quarters.

"Good. Thank you Severus. It would be most terrible to have Miss Granger or Mr Malfoy captured."

"Indeed." Snape agreed. Lucius would be so angry if his son were captured.

The silence in the Great Hall was deafening. The Students were all staring silently at the Doors to the Great hall, wands at the ready.

"Blimey, what a night this turned out to be!" Ron whispered to Harry.

"I don't want to die!" Neville whispered to nobody in particular.

"I hope he's with them." Harry muttered. "If he is, I'm going to kill him."

"I don't want to kill anyone!" Lavender squeaked.

"You will if they are trying to kill you or one of your friends!" Ron told her.

Suddenly, the sound of the entrance doors being blasted open was heard and everyone took aim, waiting for the doors to the Great Hall to be opened next.

"Remember everyone, stay calm, don't panic. This is for Hogwarts and your lives."  
"For Hogwarts!" The students roared in unison as the Doors were blasted open and the death eaters stormed in.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Well here we are, another chapter. I'm not happy with it but that's normal for me. Thanks for all of your reviews, they mean so so much to me, even the threats! I had one that was by someone who mistook my sarcastic sense of humour (that I bring out in Snape) for a genuine mistake. The term "Don't look at me in that tone of voice" is something that my mother always said to me when I was young. It appealed to my sense of humour, I guess you have to know me to get it. Apologies for any confusion. **

**sexyslytherin2 **: **I am sorry that I didn't reply in chapter 15, but here's the answer to your question. Of course you can use the idea of the cursed mistletoe. I wanna read the story so tell me what it is and when you've posted it ;)**

**I have also been getting alot of questions on where to view the pictures of Hermione's dress for the yule ball. Once again you can see them in my live journal. at and in the search bar there, type in "Scotlandsgirl" that's my LJ name. Scroll down through the entries and you'll find it. feel free to comment on it on my LJ too.**

Chapter 16 

Hermione was getting anxious. It was too quiet down here, she couldn't hear if anything was happening.

It was pitch dark in Snape's wardrobe. She didn't like being there at all. Her thoughts drifted to Malfoy. Where had Snape hidden him? What If he was found? What if she was found? What would happen?

And Snape? When he said he'd be fighting with the other Professors in the Great hall, did he mean with as in on their side, or did he have to keep up his death eater pretense and actually fight _with _the other professors?

Then she began to think of her friends. Where were they? Dumbledore wouldn't make them fight would he? Surely not! No, she was being paranoid now.

Then she heard a faint explosion from above. She froze and listened.

There was another explosion. It had started. They were in the castle!

Her heart beat quickened and she fretted in the wardrobe. She felt so useless sitting in here hiding. She hated Snape for making her feel like such a coward.

In the girls toilets, Malfoy had heard it too, and had moved into a cubicle where he sat crouched on the seat lid, listening.

Myrtle had stopped talking when they had heard the explosion of the doors of the castle being blasted open. She stared at Malfoy, looking worried.

"If they distroy the castle, I won't have anywhere to haunt!" she said tearfully.

"If they distroy the castle, you will have a lot of new ghost friends though." Malfoy pointed out.

This seemed to cheer Myrtle up and she floated beside Malfoy grinning broadly.

"Myrtle?" Malfoy asked after a moment of contemplative silence.

"Yes?" Myrtle replied.

"I don't want to sound insensitive, but I'm asking because I may have to go through it tonight…" Malfoy said with difficulty.

"What is it?" Myrtle coaxed.

"What is it like to die?" Malfoy asked finally.

Myrtle sighed and gave Malfoy a sad look. "Like being born, only backwards." She answered softly.

"Well, I don't really remember being born." Malfoy said.

"You will when you die. You'll remember everything." Myrtle said "Everything you've ever experienced, every detail of your life from beginning to end, you will remember it all."

This gave Malfoy a lot to think about, but he had to ask one final question. "Does it hurt?"

Myrtle frowned in thought. "Well for me, it didn't. The monster from the chamber got me. But I suppose it depends on what way you die. Take the Gryffindor ghost for example. He had his head chopped almost off, but it didn't quite make it. He's always going on about what pain he endured until death finally claimed him. Then there's the bloody baron. He doesn't speak of what happened to finish him off, but given the amount of blood, I'd say whatever it was that killed him, it was pretty horrific." She said thoughfully. "Then there's the ravenclaw ghost. She says she didn't suffer any pain when she was avada'd."

Malfoy was beginning to wish he'd never asked. This conversation was not comforting to him at all the way he wanted it to be.

His thoughts drifted to Hermione. Where had Snape hidden her? Was she safe? He felt useless. Something big was about to happen in the Great hall, and he was up here hiding like a coward.

He then thought about how it would look on the front page of the daily prophet. 'The wizarding world's most eligible bachelor, Draco Malfoy, was found tragically dead in a pool of his own blood after hiding like a girl in the girls bathroom at Hogwarts which was stormed by death eaters last night.'  
Oh yes, that would bring his family name so much more honour.

In the great hall, the death eaters stood in the doorway, looking menacing and glaring around at everyone.

The students glared right back. at them and held their wands at the ready.

"Come on, what are you all waiting for?" Harry muttered.

"Don't encourage them Harry!" Neville whispered fearfully. His hand was shaking so bad, that his wand was sparking.

Dumbledore could be heard muttering a spell, but nothing appeared to be happening as a result.

Or so they all thought.

Suddenly, there was a barked order from one of the death eaters, and they stormed in. But they didn't get far. The first two were stuck in the doorway.  
The students looked around, confused. What was happening? Had Dumbledore put some shield up or something?

"What's holding them up?" Ron asked, bewildered.

"Look!" Lavender whispered nodding inconspicuously at the entrance to the great hall. "It's the Mistletoe!"

And sure enough, the first two death eaters had been caught beneath it, and it wasn't letting them go.

One Ravenclaw student realized what had happened, and started laughing hysterically.

Soon the rest of the Ravenclaws joined in, this made the Hufflepuffs laugh, and they set the Gryffindors off. Slytherin house seemed to be the only ones who didn't find it amusing. A few were smirking, but most were staring fearfully around at the other houses.  
"You mustn't laugh!" A few hissed to their fellow students "You'll make it worse for us all when they get free!"

"You mean they're actually going to kiss? They're blokes!" Ron laughed.

Harry snickered. "That's really gross!"

"Shh!" The Slytherins hissed. "Do you all want to die?"

The deatheaters looked more formidable than ever when they realized what they had to do to get free. And so, two by two, they entered the great hall, having to kiss first to get past the mistletoe. This had angered them considerably.

"Look they're kissing!" Ron laughed hysterically.

Once all of the deatheaters had gotten past the Mistletoe, they gathered back together to regain what little dignity they had left and try to look threatening again.

"DUMBLEDORE!" One of them yelled furiously "YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"  
"Indeed I did. What are you going to do about it?" Dumbledore called back.

"KILL YOU ALL!" Another death eater roared, his wand held up.

"BRING IT ON GAY BOY!" Ginny yelled.

"Ginny!" Ron gasped.

"Get over it Ron, now isn't the time!" Ginny snapped.

There was a roar of battle from the death eaters and they charged forward, their wands raised.

Hogwart's was ready for them and started yelling spells and hexes at the death eaters.

"We are seriously outnumbered!" One of the deatheaters muttered to another as he dodged a jet of blue light.

"Yeah, but c'mon! They are kids, what are they going to do? I'll bet they don't even know how to perform a half decent expelling curse!" his companion replied flicking his wand and sending a Ravenclaw student soaring backwards into Professor McGonnagal.

"Why you rude man!" McGonnagal shouted raising her wand and blasting the offending death eater with a jelly legs curse.

He wobbled around the great hall calling for one of his fellow death eaters to give him the counter curse.

Harry was firing curses and hexes by the dozen at any death eater that came within firing distance and successfully rendered two of them unconscious and bleeding.

Neville blasted one deatheater right in the face, but all it did was give him a nosebleed.

"Is that the best you could do boy?" the death eater said blotting his nose with a black hankerchief.

Neville shook visibly as the deatheater raised his wand.

"Cru-" the deatheater didn't get to finish his curse, as Harry, who was now on a frenzied rampage to maim as many death eaters as he could, got there first and hexed the death eater good.

Neville nearly fainted with relief. "Thanks Harry." He said turning to Harry, but he had already gone, taking aim again.

Ginny shrieked as a jet of red light whizzed past her ear, singing her hair.

"You singed my hair!" She shrieked at the death eater. "Oh that is it, the gloves are coming off now! Now I'm going to KICK SOME ASS!"

The death eater barely had time to register her last remark when she threw a spectacular bat bogey hex at him. It was so good that he couldn't breath and he passed out.

Through all of this, Snape had managed to remain unseen by the death eaters. It was too chaotic for anyone to really notice anyone. Using this to his advantage, Snape randomly Avada'd some of them, knowing who they were of course. He was picking off the ones who were insignificant. They didn't know who was killing them of course, they assumed it was Dumbledore.

Neville managed to get over to Snape and hid behind him.

"Longbottom, stop being such a coward!" Snape snapped. "In fact, here, do me a favour and go and see if Mr Malfoy is alright, along with Miss Granger."

Neville nodded, eager for a chance to get out of the battle.

Snape told him quietly where they were and Neville ducked and dodged curses and hexes as he ran from the Great hall.

Neville ran first to Malfoy in the girls bathroom. He burst in through the door.

Startled, Malfoy whipped out his wand and waited, watching for the feet at the bottom of his door.

Neville couldn't see Malfoy but decided to check all of the cubicles out anyway, just in case. He crept along the row of cubicles, pushing the doors of each open cautiously.

Malfoy spotted feet at the bottom of his door, and before the owner of them managed to open his door, he jumped out at them letting out a fierce yell.

His wand was trained on Neville's nose, making the poor scared boy crosseyed as he stared at it.

"P.p..professor Snape asked me to see if y..you were al..alright." Neville whimpered.

Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes. It was Neville? "You nearly got yourself killed there Longbottom!" Malfoy said, lowering his wand. "I thought you were one of the death eaters."

"S…sorry." Neville said quietly.

"I'm fine as it happens. What's happening down there?" Malfoy asked, putting his wand away.

"It's horrible. People are falling down all over the place. Hogwarts seems to be winning though. Harry has killed a few, I saw Snape killing another few…It's horrible. Blood everywhere!" Neville said almost in a whisper.

Malfoy scowled. "I can't believe I'm hiding up here while that's going on below."

"Yeah well, Snape just wants to know that you are still safe, so I'm going to go and find Hermione now." Neville said turning to go.

"Wait!" Malfoy said suddenly "You know where she is?"

"Yes, Professor Snape told me so that I could find you and….what are you doing?" Neville asked as Malfoy rushed towards him.

"I'm coming with you. I want to see if she's alright too." Malfoy answered.

"But you can't you have to stay hidden!" Neville pointed out.

"Oh pishposh!" Malfoy sniffed waving the protest away "I'm coming with you and that's that. Lead the way Longbottom."

Neville sighed. There was no point in arguing with Malfoy, that and he was concerned that Malfoy might hex him if he refused.

Neville led the way and they crept past the great Hall. The noise from within was tremendous. It sounded like the Great Hall was falling down!

Once down in the dungeons, they crept along towards Snape's classroom and entered it.

"Where is she?" Malfoy demanded, seeing no sign of Hermione.

"She's not in here. She's in Professor Snape's living quarters!" Neville whispered, creeping over to Snape's office.

Once inside Snape's office, they had reached the dead end.

"Oh no!" Neville whispered. "Professor Snape didn't tell me how to get in!"

"Stand aside, Longbottom." Malfoy said importantly "I know this."

Neville Goggled at him "How do you know?"

"He's my Godfather!" Malfoy replied by way of explanation. He drew his wand and tapped the bricks and whispered the incantation. A door appeared and they entered it.

From inside the wardrobe, Hermione heard the door open. Her heart leaped into her throat and she drew her wand in fear.

Was it Snape? Or was it a death eater? Or was is Voldemort himself? Oh God what should she do?

"I don't see her!" Malfoy whispered in frustration.

"She's in here!" Neville whispered back, walking over to the wardrobe.

Malfoy strode over and opened the wardrobe door.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Hermione screeched.

Malfoy and Neville yelled and ducked as the curse zoomed over their heads, missing them by millimeters.

"Granger it's us!" Malfoy cried as she took aim again.

Hermione climbed out of the wardrobe and gaped at them before grabbing them both and hugging them.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" She cried "I was so scared!"

"Are you alright?" Neville asked "Only, Professor Snape sent me to see if you two were alright, and I have to let him know otherwise he will come looking himself and he'll be followed and…"

"Alright Neville, lets go tell him ourselves!" Hermione said.

"What? No!" Neville said firmly "Professor Snape said to stay hidden!"

"I will not!" Hermione said indignantly "Listen to it up there! My friends and my school need me! I can't just sit here hiding while they are up there fighting!"

"I agree!" Malfoy said gallantly "I'm going up there and I'm going to kick some butt!"

"But you can't!" Neville cried as he dashed after them as the strode out of the hidden room. "Snape is going to kill me!"

"He won't!" Malfoy said quietly. "Stop being such a wimp Longbottom!"

They crept up to the great hall and stood outside for a moment, gathering their courage, Neville just hid behind them.

"I thought you were in Gryffindor Longbottom!" Malfoy sneered. "Where's that Gryffindor courage?"

This seemed to make Neville take notice and he stopped shaking. That's right! He was in Gryffindor. And he wasn't there for no reason!

"Lets go. I want to get this over with." Hermione said drawing her wand and summoning every ounce of hate that she felt for Voldemort and his followers before opening the doors to the great hall and entering into the chaos within.

Part of the ceiling had come down to the right of the entrance and hexes, curses and illegal curses were still flying everywhere.

People lay scattered around the room. Professor Flitwick lay alive, but unconscious across the legs of a ravenclaw student, who appeared very wounded.

Dumbledore was still up and fighting along with Professor McGonnagall and Professor Sprout.

Hermione spotted Harry, Ron and Ginny fighting with four death eaters.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed as a curse hit him and he fell to the floor writhing in pain. He was being cruciod!

"Hermione picked up her skirts and ran to them. She picked up a chair and smashed it over the death eater's head. He crumpled to the floor and the curse was lifted off of Harry.

Malfoy and Neville were beside Hermione and leaned down to help Harry too.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked tearfully as she helped Harry sit up.

"Hermione! Where have you been? I've been worried!" Harry said weakly, shaking from the effects of the curse.

"Shh! It doesn't matter, I'm here now." Hermione said soothingly.

This seemed to give Harry new resolve to fight on, so he got to his feet. "Let's finish this." He said in a determined voice.

They fought bravely, side by side. But for all the good it did, they might as well have stayed hidden.

Suddenly they became separated and lost in confusion. Malfoy was just about to avada one of the death eaters when he was grabbed from behind and his wand wrenched from his hands.

"Severus!" Dumbledore yelled.

Snape looked around and realized what Dumbldore was yelling about. He'd been spotted and recognized. Snape froze for a moment, as the death eaters stopped to glare at him.

"TRAITOR!" one of them yelled "YOU WILL DIE FOR THIS!"

"Not without a fight I won't." Snape muttered and hexed the nearest death eater.

"TAKE HIM TO THE DARK LORD!" An all too familiar voice ordered.

"NO!" Hermione cried and jumped in front of Snape. "Get away from us or I swear on Merlin's grave I will slit you all from navel to nose!"

Snape couldn't believe it. That bloody Gryffindor courage and bravery had probably just sealed their fate! Stupid girl!

The death eater's stopped and stared at Hermione. "There she is!" One of the death Eaters remarked in almost mild surprise. "She's a pretty thing isn't she?"

The battle continued to rage around them, but it seemed to be so far away.

"Miss Granger, why did you do that?" Snape demanded in a whisper grabbing her roughly by the arm.

"They were going to Kill you Professor!" Hermione reminded him, also whispering "Would you rather I hadn't interfered?"

What appeared to be the leader of the group of death eaters stepped toward them.

Instinctively, Snape pushed Hermione behind him. "Back away." He warned the approaching death eater.

"Come now Severus, you know the drill by now. I warned our lord not to trust you, and here you are, hexing your fellow death eaters for all to see. I wonder what he will have to say about it now! You have lost." Came a familiar drawl.

"I'm warning you…Back away!" Snape snarled, holding his wand out threateningly.

Hermione shot a spell out from behind him and it hit one of the Death eaters to the side of the lead one.

The death eater let out a yell as his robes caught fire.

The lead death eater lazily flicked his wand and Hermione's wand soared out of her hand and he caught it.

But Snape still had his wand, and he wasn't going to give it up. "If you come any closer, I'll kill you. You know I will!" Snape snarled.

"Take him." The death eater said lazily.

Two huge death eaters (Hermione suspected Crabbe and Goyle seniors) stepped forward before Snape could utter a single spell and knocked him to the ground. He landed hard, taking Hermione down with him, almost crushing her beneath him.

One of the two huge death eaters grabbed Hermione and pulled her up. She kicked and screamed and struggled but all to no avail.

Snape had his wand wrenched from his hand and was being restrained by Goyle senior as he struggled to fight back.

"Give her to me!" The lead death eater ordered. Crabbe Senior tossed Hermione to the death eater and he caught her easily.

He held her like a hostage, her back to him and her arm twisted behind her back.

"I HAVE HER!" He bellowed.

All of the remaining death eaters stopped and turned around to see. The students, surprised by the sudden lack of opposition turned to see what was going on also.

Silence fell in the great hall and Dumbledore and McGonnagal gasped as Malfoy was dragged, kicking and fighting forward and the three death eaters stood in a row with their hostages.

"I have the girl!" The death eater repeated for all to hear. "Take a good look Hogwarts, this is why we fought tonight. This is what we came for!" He shouted, giving Hermione a little shake.

"Let me go!" Hermione cried as she struggled against her captor.

He merely chuckled in an amused tone. "Feisty, aren't you dearest?" he remarked as she attempted to bite him on the hand.

"I found him!" came the voice of another death eater, dragging Malfoy behind him. "Just as you asked."

"Let me go! I don't want to leave!" Malfoy was snarling, twisting this way and that to get loose, but all to no avail.

The lead death eater turned to Dumbledore. "We will leave the rest of you unharmed if you do not interfere. We have what we came for. No more blood shall be spilled this night if you let us leave."

Dumbledore looked grief stricken. His Potions master, and two students were captured. How had this come to happen?

Snape used his occlumencey skills for silent communication with Dumbleore. Dumbledore looked at Snape closely as he felt his mind being penetrated.

"What will you have me do? They will kill me if I confess. What should I do?" He asked Dumbledore silently, his voice in the headmaster's head.

"Continue your double agent guise, Severus. Tom will believe you. He trusts you above the rest of them, as do I. There's still a chance for redemption from this…trust me."

The communication was broken by the voice of the lead death eater.

"What say you?" the death eater asked silkily. "Will you spare the lives of your students and let us leave with these three?"

"If you promise me they will come to no harm." Dumbledore said finally. "If you promise they will not die, then you may leave."

Professor McGonnagall gasped and promptly burst into tears.

The death eater was silent for a moment before answering. "You have my word." He said finally.

Dumbledore nodded and flicked his wand at the doors to the great hall and they swung open. "Leave." He said coldly.

The three death eaters promptly turned and dragged their hostages out, followed by the other death eaters, some dragging their injured or unconcious comrades along with them.

Harry and Ron had to be restrained by several students and they yelled and screamed and kicked, but it was no use. Hermione was gone, along with Snape and Malfoy.

Pansy and a lot of other girls were sobbing as a result of Malfoy being captured. What did they want with him anyway?

The lead death eater put Hermione over his shoulder to carry her better and she beat on his back, furious. She glanced up and saw Snape staring at her, he was walking behind her and her captor, trapped between the two huge death eaters.

She stopped beating on her captors back and gave up. She was being kidnapped no matter what and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

"Where are you taking us?" She demanded of her captor.  
They were now outside on the grounds, marching away from the castle and towards the gates of the School.

"To the dark lord." Came the reply.

"Yes I know that!" Hermione snapped "How are we getting there?"

"Walking." Came the reply.

Hermione sighed in frustration. It was very uncomfortable being carried like this. Fireman's lift they called it in the Muggle world.

She looked at Snape. "Professor?" she said softly "Are you alright?"

Snape raised his head to look at her. "I've been better." He quipped.

They had to stop suddenly because the death eater dragging Malfoy along by his robes was getting cramping in the arm and wanted to change positions. He slung Malfoy over his shoulder and carried him in the much more practical way as demonstrated by the lead death eater and walked alongside him so that now, Malfoy was right beside Hermione.

"Alright Granger?" Malfoy asked casually.

"Fine thanks, Malfoy, and you?" Hermione replied.

"Psh!" Malfoy snorted. "Couldn't be better!"

"That will change soon enough Draco, as soon as the dark lord has you initiated into his service." Hermione's captor said suddenly.

Malfoy froze. "Father?" he asked uncertainly.

"I thought you sounded familiar." Hermione said to her captor. "Not afraid to touch me then? Not scared to get your hands dirty anymore what with me being a mudblood and all!"

"Ah but that is just the thing Miss Granger…you aren't what you appeared to be." Lucius Malfoy said cunningly.

Hermione frowned at Snape. "What?" she mouthed to him in confusion.  
Snape shrugged. He was just as out of the loop as she was.

Draco frowned too and looked at his father over his shoulder. "What do you mean father?" he asked.

"Miss Granger is not a mudblood at all. She is in fact a pureblood." Lucius elaborated.

Hermione froze. "What? Tell me more!" She demanded. "How do you know this? Who told you? Why didn't I know?"

"Be quite you insufferable girl!" Lucius Malfoy snapped. "You are as bad a Severus with your questions!"

"Speaking of me," Snape said irritably all of a sudden. "Really Lucius, is it really necessary to kidnap me? You are making a big mistake. The dark lord will not be pleased to see me treated with such suspicion and disregard."

"You betrayed us, I saw you." Lucius replied tensely. "You hexed Montague!"

"Have you forgotten my position, the role that I play on behalf of the dark lord? Perhaps you have.. If you had remembered, you would know that what I did was purely in service of our lord. To be convincing and such. Imagine how things would have gone if I had turned around and started killing the students! The game would have been up and then where would we be! His plan, Ruined!"

"Yes, that may be the case, but I will risk it I think. You will be brought before him, and I will not be satisfied until he has deemed you trustworthy himself!" Lucius declared firmly.

"Fine, but he won't be pleased about this treatment of me, not to mention taking me from Hogwarts!" Snape sniffed indignantly.

Throughout this discussion, Hermione had been watching Snape. He was a bloody good actor! He could have won a bunch of golden globes if he was a muggle! She was almost convinced that he was truly a death eater and was actually spying on Dumbledore instead of the other way around!

Draco meanwhile was very displeased. "Father, I don't want to be initiated!" he said sounding aggravated.

"Draco, I've been over this with you, you must be to uphold the family honour!" Lucius said impatiently. "Don't make me give you a whipping here in front of Miss Granger."

Malfoy coloured and glared coldly at his father. "Does Mother know you are out of Askaban?" he demanded.

"Not as of yet. I only got out this evening." Lucius replied airily. "But I do intend to see her this evening, she has been invited too so to speak."

Silence fell as the group continued to march to their destination. They had been marching for a hour at least and Hermione was getting bored.

She had her chin resting in her hand and her other arm dangled lazily down Lucius Malfoy's back, picking lint off of his cloak.

"I have an idea, lets play eye spy!" She told Snape and Draco.

"How do you play that?" Draco asked interestedly.

Hermione explained the game to them and they agreed that it would indeed pass some time at least.

"Okay, I'll go first." Hermione said "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…A."

Draco looked around as best he could from his position over the death eater's shoulder. "Angry death eater?"

"Nope." Hermione answered.

"Anthill?" Snape tried.

"Not even close Professor!" Hermione said.

Draco looked at Crabbe and Goyle. "Apes?"

Hermione giggled "nice try, but no. Give in?"

"Never!" Draco declared. "Umm…Aristocrat?"

"Nope, but getting close!" Hermione said.

"Well I give up." Snape said.

"Draco, do you give up yet?" Hermione asked the blonde slytherin.

Draco nodded in defeat.

"Arrogant Git!" Hermione said triumphantly, pointing at Lucius's back with her dangling arm.

Snape smirked. It was childish, but funny all the same.

Draco gaped at her boldness, but laughed anyway.

Lucius remained blissfully unaware, choosing to ignore the conversation that his three captives held.

They were carried for another half hour before one of the death eaters said something.

"There it is, I see it!" and he pointed to something in the clearing of the forest.

"Ah yes, well spotted Avery!" Lucius said. "Alright, you all go first, Crabbe, Goyle, you wait here with me and make sure he doesn't leave." He said nodding to Snape. "Montague, stay too. I want the hostages to go together."  
The death eaters grouped around two objects that were lying on the ground. And all put a finger on it. They instantly disappeared.

"Lucius! Wait for me!" Came a whiny voice.

They all turned to see Lucas Goldwater running towards them.

"Where did you come from?" Lucius asked.

"I apparated back in the forest." The boy replied.

"Oh, well, I suppose you can come along." Lucius replied with a weary sigh. "I say Wormtail, hasn't that polyjuice Potion worn off yet?" he asked suddenly.

Three heads belonging to three hostages snapped around so quick, three cracks could be heard.

"Wormtail?" Hermione and Snape asked.

"Yes, Wormtail. It was all part of the plan to get Miss Granger to the dark lord you see." Lucius elaborated airily. "The dark lord had Wormtail here take a polyjuice potion, made from the hair of on of Karakoff's students, so that he wouldn't be recognized, and therefore, successfully seducing Miss Granger, and luring her to the dark lord."

Hermione stared in disbelief at the handsome boy that she had believed to be Lucas Goldwater.

Snape was just as shocked. Why didn't he figure that out? It was so simple!

Draco slapped a hand to his head. "Of course!"

Then they watched with some apprehension as the potion finally wore off, and wormtail appeared.

He blew a kiss at Hermione and flicked his tongue suggestively at her. "Ah my darling Hermione!"

Hermione blinked twice in shock, then promptly threw up on Lucius's robes.

She had been kissed by Wormtail? That was disgusting beyond everything that was ever considered disgusting!

"Nice!" Snape remarked, sidestepping the spatter. "You should have put her down before you reveled that fact Lucius!"

"Yes, well, didn't think of that Severus. I didn't know that she had such a weak stomach!" Lucius replied flicking his wand and Hermione's vomit disappeared.

Once she had recovered, Hermione threw herself into a fit. "HOW COULD YOU! HOW CAN YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELVES?" she screamed, kicking and beating Lucius's back with her small fists.

Lucius put her down, but kept a hold on her upper arm. "My dear Miss Granger, I would have done the job myself, but I was in prison!" Lucius said stroking her hair.

"You Foul, loathsome evil GIT!" She cried and swung her arm at him, but he caught it before her hand connected with his face.

"Now now, we shan't have any of that behavior, Miss Granger. After all, it is your wedding day tomorrow!"


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Okay, here it is. I worked all night on it, and it's not my best attempt, as I was feeling discouraged when I started writing it, but picked up towards the end. **

**I just want to thank you all for being so incredibly supportive of me...I can't thank you all enough. BIG HUGS to all of you! I love you guys! Anyway, on with the story:**

Hermione gaped at Lucius Malfoy, speechless.

He smirked and put a finger under her chin, closing her mouth.

"Wedding day? Who is she marrying?" Snape asked, voicing the thought's Hermione obviously could not.

Lucius merely smirked. "You will all find out soon enough."

"Father, that thing you said earlier about Hermione being a pureblood…" Draco began, but his father interrupted.

"Draco, I was Lying! I was merely trying to get Miss Granger wound up. Nothing more." Lucius replied. "If she was a pureblood, don't you think that she would know by now?"

Draco scowled at his father. "That was mean. I've done some stuff in my time, but that was just mean."

Hermione looked somewhat relieved that she wasn't a pureblood after all, because that would have just made a big mess of her life! She would have had to track down her real parents, or maybe just find out that her parents were actually a witch and wizard, and then there would be the questions she'd have and blah blah blah…it was just too much work!

"Why would you describe it as 'mean' Draco?" Lucius said disapprovingly.

"No reason." Draco replied avoiding his father's gaze.

Lucius looked at his son with suspicion written all over his face.

Snape looked between the two. Lucius would figure it out sooner or later. And when he did, it wasn't going to be pleasant.

"I can't believe this is happening to me!" Hermione said in barely an audible whisper. "I was having a good year until your lot showed up." She added, glaring icicles at Lucius Malfoy and pointing at him accusingly.

"You forget that one of 'our lot' as you so eloquently put it has been around you for the past 5 years." Lucius reminded her, gesturing to Snape.

"Is that why I'm being kidnapped Lucius? For being said one of 'your lot'?" Snape said sarcastically.

"You shut up, I'll deal with you later." Lucius snapped at Snape.

Snape scowled. How dare he belittle him in front of two of his students? Snape decided he would hex him good-looking later when neither Voldemort or Dumbledore were looking!

"Yes, he was around, but he didn't ruin my life quite the way you have!" Hermione hissed "The worst Professor Snape did was make me feel like crap…but you lot…you lot have taken making my life a living hell to the extreme!"

Snape looked upset. "Excuse me!" he said indignantly "I beg your pardon, …You mean to tell me that I've been going out of my way to make you, sad, cry and feel worthless for five years, and all I've managed to do is make you feel like a lower life form?"

Hermione nodded.

"Well how do you like that!" Snape huffed to Lucius "Can you believe that because I bloody well don't!"

"Severus, another time perhaps. He is waiting!" Lucius said rubbing his burning mark.

"I'm not going." Hermione said defiantly, crossing her arms and tapping her foot. "I'd rather kiss Professor Snape!"

"Ouch!" Draco remarked, catching the indignant look on Snape's face at Hermione's comment.

"Now see here!" Snape said defensively "I know that I am not all that and a bag of every flavoured beans, but I don't deserve to be used as a worse alternative to meeting the dark lord!"

"Sorry Professor." Hermione said apologetically. "I'd rather jump naked into a swimming pool filled with double edged razor blades than go with you." She told Lucius Malfoy venomously before turning to Snape "Is that better Professor?"

"Yes. Much." Sniffed Snape, tossing his head to get his hair out of his face.

"Why are you not cowering in fear?" Lucius suddenly asked. "Did I or did I not say that Your professor here is a death eater?"

"Oh, NOW I'm a death eater!" Snape remarked coldly.

Lucius ignored him and stared at Hermione, awaiting an answer.

"Yes, you did, and I don't care!" Hermione snapped in response.

"I think you should…Severus here could have killed you and your friends at any time of the day or night…he could have slipped into your dorm and done any number of things while you slept, doesn't that creep you out just a little bit?" Lucius persued trying to unnerve the girl.

"Uh, yeah…maybe it's the whole he could have but didn't thing and maybe I'm just crazy or something, but the fact that I'm still alive and unscathed seems to point to the fact that I think I can trust him!" Hermione snorted.

"Cough not helping cough!" Snape hacked.

Hermione got his message and quickly covered her tracks. "But I suppose if you look at it like you said…it is a little creepy, yes." She admitted, giving a shudder for emphasis.

Lucius didn't have time to gloat as a searing pain in his dark mark alerted him to the fact that Voldemort was getting very impatient.

"Isn't yours burning!" He demanded of Snape grabbing his arm and pushing his sleeve up much to Snape's dislike.

"No, I told you…He won't summon me, I'm supposed to be at Hogwarts! He's not going to be very pleased to see me!" Snape insisted.

"Shut up and get over here!" Lucius snapped, dragging snape over to Hermione.

"Make her go!" He ordered, pointing at Hermione.

Snape sighed heavily and turned to Hermione. "Go." He said.  
"No!" Hermione replied stubbornly.

Snape looked at Lucius and shrugged. "Can't say I didn't try." He said resignedly.

Lucius looked so mad that his right eye bulged dangerously.

"You don't want to make his eye pop out. It's happened before and it's really disgusting! It rolled under my wardrobe at home once and the house elf spent days trying to get it out!" Draco said as- a –matter- of- factly.

"Why won't you help?" Lucius snarled at Snape and ignored his son.

"You kidnapped me!" Snape elaborated "Why should I help you?"

"Because you want to help the Dark Lord!" Lucius bellowed at Snape.

Snape merely looked disgusted as spittle hit his face. "Manner's Lucius! Merlin!" he remarked.

"We are going, we are going to him right now, if I have to drag you all with my teeth, you are all coming with me!" Lucius screamed, marching towards Draco and grabbing him, dragging him to where Hermione and Snape stood.

"Crabbe, Goyle, get over here and make sure they don't try to escape!" Lucius ordered, pointing at Snape and Hermione.

Instantly the two boulder like men leapt onto Snape and Hermione, nearly flattening them, and sat on their backs.

Snape and Hermione yelled as Crabbe and Goyle put their full weight on them.

Hermione let out a disgusted shriek as she heard and felt something on her back.

Crabbe chuckled and decided Snape needed one too and dished the same to the unfortunate Potions master only this one was extra loud.

"You idiots!" Lucius screamed "I didn't say they were trying to escape! I said to make sure they don't try to escape!"

Goyle laughed as Snape turned purple beneath him "Well, haven't we obtained that objective? They won't be going anywhere!"

"The objective is to get them to the dark lord in once piece!" Lucius said sounding stressed. "GET OFF!" he yelled.

Crabbe and Goyle snr's got up and sniggered at the state in which Hermione and Snape were left.

"I won't tell anyone we got farted on by Crabbe and Goyle's dads if you won't." Hermione said to Snape as they lay there on the ground.

"Agreed." Snape said.

They staggered to their feet and glared at their two wardens.

"That was really disgusting what you just did!" Hermione declared.

"Hey, wherever you may be…" Goyle replied.

Hermione slapped him in rage.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Lucius screamed manically, grabbing Hermione and pulling her forward towards a copper kettle where Wormtail stood waiting anxiously.

Hermione struggled fiercely, but Lucius was much stronger than her.

Snape was shoved forward by Goyle and Crabbe grabbed Draco.

Snape watched Lucius do a head count and shook his head. It had to be said, things had been going well, up until he was left alone with his hostages with only Crabbe, Goyle and wormtail. But now…now it just had to be said that Lucius sucked at kidnapping on his own and Snape made a mental note to inform the dark lord that Lucius sucked at Kidnapping, and shouldn't be allowed to do it again.

Lucius grabbed Hermione's hand and held it out toward the kettle and ordered the rest to do the same with their hostages.

Once they were all gathered around the kettle, Lucius held them all at wandpoint and demanded they touch it.

When they didn't, they were pitched forward onto it by their kidnappers and felt the familiar tug behind their navels as they were yanked off of their feet by the port key.

Second's later, they landed hard on a black marble floor, winded.

Lucius Malfoy recovered first. "Get up." He snarled at Snape. When Snape didn't move fast enough, he grabbed him and hauled him to his feet.

"Crabbe, Goyle, bring him to the Dark lord." Lucius ordered, grabbing Draco and Hermione by the arms and yanking them to their feet.

Wormtail flicked his tongue at Hermione once more before scuttling off to join the Dark lord.

Lucius led the way down a long dark corridor. The walls, ceiling and floor were all made of black marble and the sound of their steps echoed eerily down into the darkness ahead of them.

Finally they reached a set of massive green doors, ornate Snakes were carved into it and the dark mark was carved in the centre.

Hermione shuddered as they came to a halt in front of the door.

Lucius turned to Hermione, looking her up and down. She looked rather disheveled and leaves and twigs had become entangled in her hair, which was coming down from its style.

"This won't do at all." Lucius remarked pulling out his wand.

He pointed it at Hermione and muttered something she couldn't quite catch. She felt a warm glow wash over her and her dress, hair and make-up cleaned, and fixed itself.

She scowled at Lucius. "I hate you." She stated.

"You're welcome. Silencio" Lucius sneered back before turning to Draco and performing the same spell on him.

"Why did you clean me up?" He demanded.

"I won't have my son meeting the dark lord looking like a peasant!" Lucius remarked. "Silencio!" he added.

Satisfied that Hermione and Draco couldn't speak, he turned back to the doors, Lucius said a password, followed by an intricate waving of his wand.

"Brace yourselves." Snape muttered. to the two students "This is going to be hell."

The doors swung open and they were led at wand point by Lucius Malfoy into a massive room where all the death eaters had gathered and were seated around a massive round table.

They turned when the doors opened and stared at the small party that had entered.

As Snape had predicted, Voldemort was not pleased at seeing him. As soon as Snape was thrown down and slid across the marble floor on his stomach, coming to a halt just short of his toes, the Dark lord stood up and demanded to know why Lucius was treating Snape like a hostage.

"Look at him, he's a mess!" Voldemort spat at Lucius.

Snape did his best to look dejected and abused. "My lord, I was kidnapped along with Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy, I tried to explain about your plan, but he would not listen." Snape told Voldemort pitifully "I was dragged around, thrown about, yelled at and sat on!"

"Sat on?" Voldemort echoed in surprise. "By whom?"

"Crabbe and Goyle my Lord!" Snape bleated.

"That could have killed him Lucius!" Voldemort "I won't have you treating my most loyal servant like this!"

It was hard not to smirk as Voldemort gave Lucius the telling off of a lifetime. And to top it off, he got crucioed for it too.

"So he isn't a traitor My lord?" Lucius asked in a raspy voice as the curse was lifted.

"No. It is as Severus said. Do not dare to question me!" Voldemort huffed.

"I trust you were competent enough to bring the girl with you?"

"Yes Master, here she is!"

Hermione was dragged forward and thrust to the floor where she landed at Voldemort's feet.

Voldemort looked down at her with an expression that closely resembled one would wear if Christmas came early.

Hermione defiantly stared back, glaring at him with all her might.

"Here she is…the one that will complete me." He said in a hiss of a voice. "Severus, you will have the honour of helping me with this." He added not taking his eyes from Hermione.

"My lord." Snape muttered. "Forgive me, but, I haven't been informed of what your plans with Miss Granger are."

Voldemort looked around at Snape, surprised before turning his disapproving, snake like eyes on his death eaters. "Why was Severus not informed?"

There was a ripple of fear throughout the death eater ranks.

"Please my lord, we believed him to be a traitor!" Avery said, stepping forward and bowing.  
"Crucio." Voldemort said calmly, but the spell had more strength behind it than Voldemort's manner showed. When he had lifted the curse, he spoke with venom.  
"No more of this. I will not have you all treating Severus with such disregard and suspicion!"

Snape glanced at Lucius and smirked.

"We will rest tonight, we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow, now get out of my sight all of you." Voldemort said, looking thoroughly angry.

He turned to Snape who had moved to stand beside Hermione and Draco.

"Severus, my most trusted friend. Take Miss Granger to a room somewhere and stay with her tonight, don't let the other's see where you are taking her, I don't trust them to keep their hands off."

Snape bowed and picked Hermione up off of the floor. She complied, anxious to leave Voldemort's evil presence.

"My lord." Snape said quietly, hesitating.

"Yes?" Voldemort answered.  
"Lucius took my wand when he took Miss Granger's and Mr Malfoy's at Hogwarts, I shall need it back if I am to keep Miss Granger in place." Snape said tentatively.

"Wormtail!" Voldemort called. Instantly, Wormtail scuttled from some dark corner or another to Voldemort.  
"Yes Master?" Wormtail groveled.

"Fetch me Severus's wand." Voldemort ordered.  
In an instant, Wormtail scurried away and out of the room.

Hermione and Draco stood staring at each other while they waited for Snape's wand to be brought.

Hermione was getting nervous. Her sheer hatred for Voldemort was not keeping her as bolstered as she would have liked.

Draco gave her a comforting look, trying to tell her it would all be alright, and they would get out of here alive. But he couldn't speak due to the silencing charm his father had put on him.

Suddenly, Voldemort seemed to notice that the two students hadn't said a single word since arriving.

"Silencing charm." Snape said before he could ask.

Voldemort flicked his wrist and Hermione and Draco felt the charms lift, but still neither of them spoke.

"What is taking Wormtail so long?" Voldemort wondered irritably.

There was an awkward silence.

"Nice weather we've been having." Voldemort said conversationally.

"Yes, quite." Snape agreed.

Another awkward silence.

Thankfully, Wormtail scurried back into the room bearing Snape's wand on a green velvet cushion.

Hermione quirked an eyebrow and looked at Snape, who smirked knowingly. He really was trusted!

"Severus's wand my lord!" Wormtail groveled.

"Thank you Wormtail." Voldemort said tensely.

While they were exchanging words, Snape bent low to Hermione's ear and whispered.

"You had better make a spectacle of yourself when I lead you from this room, and make it convincing, otherwise he'll be thinking that I have you wrapped around my little finger and hex me into oblivion."

Hermione nodded silently. She could do that. And she would do it good too, this was to be her performance of a lifetime!

Voldemort had told Wormtail to give Severus his wand, so the horrible little man scuttled forward, holding up the green velvet cushion bearing Snape's wand.

Snape took his wand, relieved to have it back. Now he would be able to perform that hex he'd promised for use on Lucius.

"Alright, off you go Severus. Wormtail, take Young Mr Malfoy to his father." Voldemort instructed.

Hermione felt Snape take her upper arm and wrenched it out of his grasp. "Don't touch me you death eater scum!" She snarled at him.

Snape looked taken aback for a moment, before realizing what she was doing and played along. He grabbed her arm roughly again and snarled back at her.

"Come along."

She struggled against him, pulling back so that he had to drag her, her feet sliding on the floor.

"NO!" She yelled at him.

"COME ALONG!" Snape barked.

Hermione refused to go quietly, quite enjoying herself and gave Snape as much grief as she could.

Snape yanked her toward him suddenly and she fell against his chest and then swiftly, he scooped her up.

"PUT ME DOWN!" She screamed, kicking and fighting. "Harry's going to kick your ass!" she shouted as Snape began to walk towards the door. "HARRY IS GOING TO KICK ALL YOUR ASSES!" She yelled at Voldemort, who seemed to be enjoying watching her.

Snape carried her out of the hall, still kicking and screaming.

She stopped when they were out of sight.  
"Keep going, we have to be convincing until we get to a safe distance from the others." Snape murmered in her ear.

So she pitched another fit, clawing and yelling and kicking and screaming.

Snape almost dropped her once or twice. They passed by numerous death eaters on their way to their rooms, and they leered at Hermione.

"Severus, give us a turn!" one said reaching out to touch Hermione, but Snape shook his head as he struggled to keep a grip of the struggling girl.

"No, I'm under strict orders to take her." Snape replied hurrying off.

He all but ran the rest of the way to the third floor, constantly making sure they weren't being followed.

He stopped at a door and kicked it open, carrying Hermione inside and closed the door quickly behind them. Hermione abruptly stopped fighting and Snape put her down.

"Nice performance!" he remarked, impressed.  
"Thanks, Professor, not so bad yourself!" Hermione replied grinning.

"Now, we must figure out a plan to get us out of here…or at the very least, figure out who and why you are marrying tomorrow." Snape said sitting down by the fire.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Phew this one took ages! I'm so sorry about the wait, but I had bad writers block on this one too, as well as Hermione's Makeover! But It's alright now, I shall warn you though, that there is arather gross thing in this, but it's Voldemort's plan, so whatdo you expect? hehe. Enjoy.**

Chapter 18

Draco sat opposite his father in a large paneled room by the fire. Lucius was drinking firewhiskey from a crystal glass and gazed at his son.

Draco stared right back, defiance in his eyes.

"Draco, don't look at me like that." Lucius said breaking the stony silence that had hung heavily over them. "It isn't my fault!"

"It is!" Draco countered, "You are the one who led the kidnapping!"

Lucius let out a weary sigh, "Draco, you don't understand. The dark lord is-"  
"I don't care what he is!" Draco hissed, throwing his own glass into the fire where it shattered on the coals, causing the fire to give a small explosion of flames as the alcohol hit it.

Lucius sighed in frustration. Why did his son have to be so bloody difficult?

"Draco, think of what you will gain by being initiated!" he said beseechingly "Can't you see the rewards that will be yours?"

"What rewards are those father? Being crucio'd for questioning Snape's loyalty? Being thrown into Askaban for just being a friend to him? Killing muggles for fun? Having a great awful looking mark burned into my perfect skin? I think not!" Draco spat. "I won't do it!"

"Why not?" Lucius demanded, getting angry.

"Because I…I don't want to!" Draco said, finishing his answer quietly.

Lucius looked suspicious. "What are you hiding from me?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing." Draco lied.

Lucius got to his feet and glared down at his son. "Draco, tell me what you are hiding from me!" his father growled.

"I told you, I'm not hiding anything!" Draco insisted.

"Don't lie to me Draco!" Lucius barked.

Draco snapped, he was going to be initiated, so why not tell all so that his father would kill him before he had to go through the stupid ceremony?

"FINE!" Draco barked back. "I'll tell you!"

Lucius looked expectantly at his son.

"I'm in love with Hermione Granger." Draco stated, looking straight into his fathers eyes. There, he'd said it. Everything that had been building up inside him had come out. It sounded strange to actually hear himself say it as opposed to thinking it.

Lucius Malfoy went an interesting shade of puce, his mouth opening and shutting much like a goldfish before grabbing Draco by the front of his robes and hauling him to his feet.

"What did you say?" Lucius said in a dangerously soft voice.

"I'm in love with Hermione Granger…and there's nothing you can do to stop it!" Draco said glaring at his father defiantly.

"We'll just see about that." Lucius smirked.

Draco wasn't expecting him to smirk. Something was up. He knew something.

"I'll let you in on a little secret Draco." Lucius said leaning forward towards his son. "You might want to rethink you're being in love with Miss Granger when you find out just whom she is marrying tomorrow."

Draco looked as his father suspiciously "Is it Voldemort?"

Lucius laughed airily "Sweet Merlin, no! what on earth would the Dark Lord marry for?"

"Then who?" Draco demanded. Everything had been pointing to Voldemort so far!

Lucius smirked.

Up in the room they were confined to, Snape and Hermione were brainstorming. So far, they had come up with two or three plans, but none of them would have worked.

Hermione stared out of the window. It had started to storm outside and distant thunder could be heard in the distance as rain started to lash against the window.

Snape stared at the crackling fire wracking his brain to come up with some way to avoid tomorrow's event. In a fleeting moment of insanity and desperation, he entertained the thought of committing a murder/suicide. He'd kill Miss Granger then himself, then when Voldemort came to call on them, he'd fine them both dead and then the plan would be foiled.

Snape let out a snort at this thought. How ridiculous.

Hermione was getting very hungry. Her stomach let out a growl of protest and she blushed in spite of it all.

Snape looked up, apparently pulled from his deep thoughts by the sound.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Sorry Professor." Hermione replied sheepishly "I'm really hungry."

Snape stood up and went to the door. "Stay here, I'll be right back." He told her firmly, opening the door.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked anxiously. She didn't want to be left alone in that place.

"To get us some food." Snape replied, checking to make sure the coast was clear, then he slipped out of the room, closing the door firmly behind him and made his way deftly and silently to the kitchens.

Hermione sat alone in the room feeling very anxious. As much as she didn't like Snape's general company, he was the only familiar one to her around and she found herself wishing him to just forget the food and come back to the room.

Taking a moment to look around the room, she got up from the bed and went over to the fire. It was getting cold outside as the storm strengthened, making her shiver.

She wished she had some way of contacting Harry and Ron.

Knowing that somewhere in this lair of evil was Draco, imprisoned more or less by his own father!

She despised Lucius Malfoy and everything he stood for. He was an insufferable man, devoid of emotion and though he may have possessed the amiable good manners that came with being bred of the upper classes, he was not in any way a favourable man at all!

Draco on the other hand, though for the first five years of her knowing him seemed so much like his father, with the same arrogant, spoiled and demanding air, had become so different from his elder all the same.

He retained the mannerisms of the upper class quite nicely, but was gentle with her and more…natural. A quality he used only with three people…herself, his mother and Snape.

Her thoughts returned to her current situation. It seemed rather hopeless, but surely Dumbledore had something up his sleeve to let them be taken so easily.

She heard the door open again and turned sharply around. Breathing a sigh of relief, she saw it was Snape returning with a tray of food for them both.

"I hope you like roast pheasant, roast potatoes and vegetables. It was the only thing I could find in the short time I had to look around." Snape said setting the tray down on the table beside the fire.

Hermione smiled. "It's wonderful, thank you Professor."

She was very pleased indeed. She thought to a time where Ron had snuck down to the Kitchens at Hogwarts because she, Harry and Ron were pulling an all nighter to study for a Potions test they had the next day. The best Ron could get was a plate of bread and cheese and some jugs of pumpkin juice.

Snape had even remembered cutlery and wine.

They sat down across from each other and took their respective plates and such, then settled to eat.

"Professor?" Hermione said after a few mouthfuls.

"Yes?" Snape replied, cutting his pheasant.

"Do you think Draco is alright?" Hermione asked quietly "I'm so worried!"

"Don't worry about Draco, he'll be quite alright." Snape replied before sipping at his wine. "For now at least." He added.

Hermione stared at Snape. "What do you mean, for now at least? What will happen to him?"

"Calm yourself Miss Granger." Snape said quietly. "What I meant was that Draco is now due for initiation into the Dark Lord's service. He may be initiated tomorrow either before or after your wedding."

Hermione dropped her fork onto her plate where it landed with a clatter. "No!" she whispered in horror.

Snape scowled when she dropped her fork. "Miss Granger, it is of no consequence!" he said firmly.

"No consequence! How can you say that? He's going to be forced into being a death eater!" Hermione cried standing up abruptly in her anger.

"Sit down Miss Granger." Snape ordered, his classroom manner coming back.

"I won't!" Hermione replied, getting more upset.

"Miss Granger, I don't know if it has escaped your notice but you are in the most dire situation at this time, now whether Draco becomes a death eater or not is most certainly of no consequence in comparison to what will happen if this wedding takes place tomorrow!" Snape said in one breath. "Now if you are finished acting like a spoiled child, sit down and eat!"

Hermione stood looking at him tearfully, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she fought not to cry before sitting down again.

"I hadn't thought of it that way." She said quietly.

"No, I didn't suspect that you had." Snape all but sneered.

"I'm sorry Professor." Hermione sobbed, her breath hitching as she fought to prevent from letting all of her emotion out and drowning them both in the flood of tears that would most assuredly be the result.

Snape sighed and took out his handkerchief. He handed it to her.

"There there, it's not so bad." He said trying to be comforting, he wasn't very practiced in that. "We'll get out of this somehow."

"I know, it just seems so hopeless though!" Hermione bubbled into the handkerchief before blowing her nose. "We only have tonight to figure out how to get out of here and back to Hogwarts, we have no way of contacting Dumbledore or any of the order, and Draco is to be initiated!"

"Again, your situation is more urgent. We'll save Draco later!" Snape reminded her.

They sat in silence while Hermione calmed herself down and finished the remainder of their dinner.

When it was done, Snape cleared everything away with a wave of his wand.

Snape returned to his chair by the fire and resumed brainstorming.

Hermione wandered over to the window and stared out at the darkness surrounding the castle. Where were they anyway?

Upon closer inspection, trees could be seen…a forest perhaps? She squinted some more and could just make out what appeared to be a black void beyond the trees where the ground seemed to disappear.

"Professor?" She said curiously "Where does the forest disappear into out there? There's nothing but darkness."

"That would be the ocean Miss Granger." Snape replied dully.

"Oh," Hermione said quietly "So we are by the sea."

"That's typically the other term for the ocean, yes." Snape remarked.

Hermione scowled at the potion's master's sarcasm but chose not to comment, instead, she turned back to the window and peered out again, this time looking at the castle.

It would seem that they were in a turret or tower of some sort.

Hermione snorted. She had been kidnapped and locked in a tower…how cliché!

"Rapunzel Rapunzel, let down your hair!" she said softly, almost mockingly. As if there was a handsome prince that would save her!

"What are you talking about?" Snape asked waspishly staring over at her from his place by the fire.

"I was just thinking about a fairytale Professor." Hermione replied "Rapunzel to be precise." She added with a snort.

"What an odd thing to be thinking of at such a time as this!" Snape remarked with a snap "You should be thinking of a way to escape, not idiotic fairytales!"

"Yes Professor…right away Professor, three bags full Professor!" Hermione muttered turning back to the window.

Sighing, she looked down at the forest below. Suddenly, a thought struck her so surprisingly, she actually gasped.

At her gasp, Snape looked up sharply to see her looking dumbstruck and mechanically taking her hair down out of its confines and stood pulling it through her hands in glee. She turned suddenly to face him, the mad look in her eye unnerved him.

Snape decided that she'd finally gone off her rocker.

"Rapunzel Rapunzel, let down your hair!" she cried at him excitedly, shaking a handful of her hair at him.

"What?" Snape asked, confused and staring with wide apprehensive eyes.

"Hair!" Hermione said with a laugh.

"Alright, Miss Granger, I think you need to lie down." Snape decided, and began searching his cloak for sleeping potions.

"No, I'm fine, perfectly fine!" Hermione said happily "I'm talking about the fairytale Professor! Rapunzel, she had really long hair!"

Snape regarded her with an air of apprehension. "So…you want really long hair?"

Hermione sighed with frustration. "No! Well yes! Yes I do. Really long, so long that it can reach the bottom of this tower!"

Snape frowned. He wasn't catching on very fast.

"Don't you see? If I can make my hair grow that long, we can climb down it out of the window and escape!" Hermione said passionately.

"That's so crazy it just might work…but what about Draco?" Snape asked, still wearing a bemused expression.

"Duh! We rescue him first!" Hermione replied

"Don't you 'duh' me girl!" Snape snapped "Or I'll make sure you never see daylight again you'll be serving so many detentions!"

Hermione sighed in frustration again. "Fine, give me detention but lets go and get Draco and leave!" she said running to the door.  
"Miss Granger!" Snape barked as she reached for the door handle. He swept quickly over and held the door shut.

"Professor there's no time!" Hermione cried.

"Just wait…let me explain a few things to you about The Dark Lord." Snape said in a low voice. "If you are seen outside this room before daylight, we will both be in a lot of trouble and you will ruin any chance we have for escape."

Hermione stared at Snape before dropping her hands to her sides in defeat.

"You're right. Merlin what was I thinking." Hermione said quietly. She went over and sat down on the bed.

Snape sighed. "I know you are worried about Draco, and you want to just leave and go back to Hogwarts, but this is real Miss Granger. You can't just leave this place." He said quietly.

Hermione nodded. "I know Professor."

"Don't worry, we'll get out though." Snape said, trying to kick-start the damned Gryffindor courage and recklessness in her. "You have come up with an idea…it may be farfetched, but it's all we have so far."

Hermione nodded again. "But we can't get Draco."

Snape shook his head. "No. unless by some miracle, he comes to us." He added with a skeptical snort.

**bang bang bang**

Snape visibly jumped, startled by the frantic banging on the door.

Hermione stared at the door and then looked at Snape, eyes wide and frightened.

Snape stared back, a frown on his face.

**bang bang bang**

Snape and Hermione jumped again. Who could that be?

Snape took out his wand and held it aloft, with his other hand, he reached for the handle of the door and turned it.

He opened the door a crack to peer out but was knocked back as the door was shoved open and a streak of black and blonde threw itself into the room, shutting the door behind it.

Snape aimed his wand, opening his mouth to speak a curse but stopped abruptly when he saw who it was who had entered the room.

"Draco!" Hermione cried and rushed to greet the shaken looking boy.

"Hermione!" Draco breathed, grabbing Hermione and hugging her tightly.  
Snape let them get their mushy moment out of the way before he got involved.

"Draco, what are you doing here? How did you find us?" Snape asked.

"Tracking charm! I put one on Hermione when you asked me to tail back at school when she was under wormtail's spell, remember?"

"Ah, yes." Snape said nodding.

"Listen, you have to get out of here…now." Draco said urgently "It's going to be nasty."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

Draco ran a shaky hand through his hair and looked from Snape to Hermione and back again.

"You're scaring me Draco!" Hermione said, her voice trembling.

Snape was staring at Draco in anticipation.

"Spit it out Draco!" he said sharply.

"I've found out who it is you are going to marry!" Draco said in a broken voice.

Hermione gasped and Snape bounded forward.  
"Who, who is it?" he demanded.

"It's…it's…it's too awful to say!" Draco wailed.

"Tell us confound you!" Snape growled shaking Draco sharply.

"It's YOU!" Draco cried. "It's you!" he repeated in a quieter whimper.

Snape's face went blank. "What?" he asked, his tone matching his expression.

"Hermione is going to get married to you tomorrow!" Draco said frantically.

"Surely not!" Snape said, almost laughing…almost.

"Draco, stop kidding around! This is serious!" Hermione said tearfully.

"I'm not kidding! I swear I'm telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!" Draco said.

"I think I'm going to be sick!" Hermione remarked, going pale. Her hand over her mouth.

Snape stared in disbelief at the blonde Slytherin before him. "Surely you are mistaken, Draco. Where did you hear such a heinous thing?" he asked, looking quite green himself.

"My father!" Draco replied. "He told me everything! He said that Voldemort wanted to bestow a gift on you to reward you for being so loyal, but that he also wanted an heir to rule as dark lord after he had gone. The original idea was to impregnate Hermione. He figured that her being the most powerful witch of her age and her intellect teamed with his evil tendencies would make for a perfect heir to rule as dark lord! Somehow he thought it would be a good idea to kill two birds with one stone and give you a gift and get his heir all at the same time!"

Hermione let out a cry of horror and despair. This was awful! Sheer evil! This certainly beat Dumbledore's mistletoe any day!  
"The dark lord was always one for convenience." Snape muttered darkly.

"I don't want to marry you!" Hermione cried angrily.

"Trust me, Miss Granger, the feeling is mutual!" Snape remarked coldly.

"Can we argue about this later, perhaps after we have escaped this awful fate?" Draco suggested.

"You are right Draco. Let's get out of here." Hermione said rushing over to the window and opening it.

"Don't be stupid Miss Granger, we can't climb down your hair to get out of here!" Snape said irritably. "How would you get out? The whole idea is popostorous!"

"Do you want to get married to her tomorrow and hand over your first born son to that evil git in nine months and condemning the entire wizarding world to a life of misery and death?" Draco demanded, his hands on his hips.

Snape blanched at the mere thought of being married to anyone, let alone Hermione.

"Right, so that hair growth spell, I think I overheard that Lavender Brown girl using it once…I don't know who she was trying to impress, but it turned out terrible! She looked like an English sheep dog!" Snape babbled as he took out his wand and grabbed hold of Hermione's hair.

It took several attempts and Hermione's hair had been turned purple, gone shockingly short and back to normal before Snape finally got the spell right, causing Hermione's hair to grow shockingly fast and they watched in wonder as it cascaded down her back, skirts and finally hit the floor where it pooled as her hair continued to cascade down her back to the floor like water from a waterfall.

As it was growing, Snape and Draco gathered it up off of the floor and lifted it onto the bed.

"You will have to plait it!" Hermione stated wincing as her hair was tugged. "Ouch! Be careful will you, that is attatched!" she complained as Snape stood on the part of her hair that had just reached the floor as he was gathering up the rest.

"Plait it? What do you mean plait it?" Draco asked.

"Plait it!" Hermione said irritably. "You don't know how to plait?"

"What does Pleat even mean?" Draco asked, getting irritable also.

"Indeed!" Snape agreed.

Huffing in aggrivation, Hermione showed them how to go about plaiting her ridiculously long hair.

They decided that it would be best to do three separate Plaits and then plaiting them into one plait to make a stronger rope.

So, they all three worked on a plait each. It took half an hour just to do that, as her hair had to be about 150 ft long to be able to reach the bottom of the tower.

When they were finally done, Hermione secured the plaits at the base of her neck with one of the ribbons that had been entwined in her hair to decorate it for the ball.

Then they began the process of plaiting the plaits.

Once this was accomplished they stood back to admire their work.

"I think we could actually pull this off!" Snape remarked, weighing a segment of Hermione's hair in his hands.

"Good, because it is essential to my life that we escape Professor!" Hermione said breathlessly as she gathered up some of her hair.

"Are there guards outside?" Draco asked suddenly.

Hermione froze. In all of her excitement of escaping, she hadn't thought of the fact that Voldemort may have placed guards to prevent escape.

"At the main doors, yes, but other than that, the dark lord sees no need. He just kills anyone who dares enter unlawfully."

"So we should be able to just climb out of the window and escape without a problem?" Draco asked skeptically.

"Yes." Snape replied "Ridiculous I know, but what can I say? He isn't as perceptive as you'd think he'd be. It's probably partly why he wants a know-it-all heir!"

"Can we just go now?" Hermione cried in exasperation.

"Alright Miss Granger, keep your knickers on!" Snape snapped as he gathered up armfuls of her hair.

Draco did the same and both of them carried it to the window. Hermione opened the window and they dropped the hair out, watching with satisfaction as it tumbled to the ground, swinging in the gale-force wind and driving rain.

Hermione's head was tugged to one side and she was pulled forward by the weight of her own hair.

"Professor, can you leave me something to cut my hair with please?" Hermione asked.

Snape conjured a pair of shears and handed them to Hermione.

"Thank you." She said, taking them and laying them on the bed.

"Okay, which one of you is going first?" she asked bracing herself.

"I should go first." Snape said stepping forward. "I can keep an eye out while you two climb down. I am the only one with a wand here after all. If one of you should fall…"

"Yes alright, go ahead Professor." Hermione said with a shudder.

Snape gathered up his robes and climbed up onto the windowsill, turning his back to the window. He let his robes down behind him so that they wouldn't get tangled in his legs as he was decending. He grasped hold of Hermione's hair, wrapping it once around his right hand for extra hold and lowered himself out of the window, still leaning on the windowsill.

Hermione braced herself to take his weight.

"OW!" She cried out as Snape let the 'rope' take all of his weight.  
"God, Professor!" She called to him above the howling winds "Could you be any heavier?"

"I'll have you know I am exactly the right weight that I am supposed to be!" Snape replied, put out.

Draco rushed forward and grabbed her hair and pulled back, giving her some slack so that he was giving leverage instead of her head doing it.

It seemed like forever before the weight at the end of the 'rope' let up and they peered over the windowsill to see a now tiny Snape waving back up at them. The coast was apparently clear.

Draco went next. He stepped up to Hermione and gazed at her for a moment.

"You are amazing, do you know that?" he said softly. "Nobody could have thought of this as means of escape but you!"

Hermione blushed and smiled. "A girl does what she can." She said shrugging.

Draco cupped her face in his hand and then leaned down to kiss her.

Hermione returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck, letting him sweep her away into the kiss.

They forgot where they were and what they were supposed to be doing, but Snape would not let them forget so easily.

Hermione gave a little cry of pain as her hair was yanked violently.

Draco went to the window and looked down.

"What is taking you so long?" Snape demanded. "You'd better not be snogging up there!"

Draco smirked and climbed up onto the windowsill, backing out as Snape had done.

"I'll see you down there." He told Hermione, kissing her briefly.

Hermione nodded and watched as Draco descended down her hair.

Within minutes he had landed beside Snape at the bottom and waved to her.

Turning to the bed, she took up the shears that Snape had conjured and grabbed the plait.

She brought the shears level with her waist and cut. The hair was so thick that she had to practically saw it off with the shears.

Feeling the weight of the hair leave her, she shook her head in freedom, flipping her slightly longer than before hair around to enjoy the weightlessness for a moment before taking up the cut hair and tying it around the bedpost nearest the window, making sure it was secure.

She then climbed up onto the window sill and peered down at Snape and Draco. They were looking around before looking up and waved.

She began her descent, clinging to the plait for dear life.

She felt the shoe on her right foot slipping off and blanched when she felt it slip off entirely, she looked down to watch it fall. That was a big mistake.

Why did she have to be afraid of heights?

Snape and Draco watched as something fell down from the sky.

**Crack**!

"OUCH! DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!" Snape bellowed rubbing his head and bent down to pick up what had hit him on the top of the head. "A shoe? Where did a bloody shoe come from?"

"It's Hermione's, it must have fallen off her foot." Draco replied, fighting to keep the laugh out of his voice.

Whimpering, Hermione slid down the plait, stopping when a particularly brutal gust of wind sent her swinging out to the side, her hair whipped around her face and the skirts of her ball gown whipping wildly around her legs.

"Come on!" Draco called encouragingly. "You are almost there!"

Hearing his voice calmed her and she shakily began to lower herself down again.

Unfortunately, her trembling was to be her worst enemy at this time and she suddenly had trouble keeping hold of the plait.

"Oh God, I'm going to fall!" She whimpered, turning pale with fear and clung to the plait. "I can't move!" She tried to make her body move, but it wouldn't obey.

From below, Draco and Snape were gazing up at her.

"What the bloody hell is she stopping for?" Snape demanded. "Stupid girl!"

"She's afraid of heights!" Draco answered. "She's scared!"

"She's a Gryffindor, she's not allowed to be scared!" Snape snapped, stepping forward.

"Miss Granger, you get down here this instant!" he commanded.

"I can't!" Hermione cried back. "I can't move!"

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Snape snapped. "Draco, hold the rope, I'm going up after her!"

"What? No!" Draco said. "If you go up, you'll just make her more frightened and you'll both fall!"

"Don't be stupid, I know what I'm doing! Do you think I haven't rescued many a student from a similar fate before? That bloody astronomy tower should be destroyed! It's a bloody nuisance!" Snape answered haughtily.

Draco blinked. He had not known of any students having to be rescued by Snape from the astronomy tower, but then again, who would want to admit that they had been rescued by Snape?

"Point taken." Draco said grabbing hold of the rope.

"Miss Granger, I'm coming up to get you." Snape called up to the petrified girl above. "Don't move." He turned to Draco. "You keep watch. If you see danger, shake the rope and hide somewhere."

Nodding, Draco watched skeptically. He still couldn't imagine Snape climbing up a rope. Climbing down one, yes, but up?

But it would seem that Snape had indeed done this before as he took to the rope without hesitating and climbed up it with remarkable ease.

Hermione clung helplessly to the plait, feeling her strength dropping and her hold slipping.

"I want Harry and Ron!" She whimpered, tears coursing down her cheeks.

She felt something brush her ankle, then, through her dress, her knee, hip then arm.

She opened her eyes and realized that Snape had already climbed the rope and was right in front of her, his black robes whipping around them both.

Talk about lack of personal space! Being chest to chest with Snape with only a Plait of really long hair between you was not her ideal situation. Far from it. But right now, she didn't care. She was too terrified to care about anything other than surviving and getting down from this plait.

"Put your arms around my neck." Snape told her calmly.

Hermione threw one arm around her Professor's neck, but held onto the plait with the other.

"Miss Granger, let go of the rope." Snape instructed.

Hermione shook her head fiercely "No! I'll fall!"

"You won't fall, I've got you." Snape told her impatiently. "you have to trust me."

Hermione let out an anguished sob. She couldn't let go! It was insane to do so!"

"Hermione, you have to let go of the rope!" Draco called up to her.

Hermione shook her head again. "No!"

"Miss Granger, upon my word, I will not let you fall!" Snape told her sternly "I cannot get us down from this rope until you let go of it!"

Hermione shook her head again.

Snape lost patients with her and kept a hold of the plait with one hand, he used the other to reach up and prize Hermione's fingers from the rope.

When the rope left her hand, she let out a terrified scream and threw her other arm around Snape's neck so she was now dangling from his neck while Snape hung from the rope by his hands, and sufficiently deaf in one ear.

Fighting for survival, Hermione pulled herself up to get a better hold on Snape's neck, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Clever girl." He remarked. Had she not done what she did, she would have lost her hold and she would have fallen.

He suddenly realized how this must have looked to Draco almost smiled as he remembered the…oh it had to be 8 students now that he had climbed up and rescued from the astronomy tower…and how Dumbledore had thought it so amusing to the point that he was almost hoping that some poor student would fall from the astronomy tower just so Snape would have to climb up and fetch them down. The old man had been laughing so hard he'd wound up laying on the ground, pounding the grass with his fists.

The students Snape had rescued hadn't found it quite as amusing as Dumbledore had, and seemed very embarrassed. As he recalled, Lavender Brown had been one of those students, and he was quite disturbed to find that instead of getting embarrassed and humiliated like the rest of those 8 students, she had taken to gazing at him with gooey eyes instead. Snape didn't understand nor care why. But it disturbed him anyway.

Bringing his mind back to the current situation, he concentrated on getting down the blasted rope.

He'd only climbed down about a meter when he heard a voice above them.

Looking up he saw Lucius Malfoy looking out of the window down at them.

"Oh Bloody hell!" Snape muttered.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Well here you are...another chapter! Yes, I updated within a day or two of my last update,I just felt so guilty about keeping you all waiting so long on the last one! I had some writer's block with this one, it seems to afflict me on every chapter I write now :( Anyway, enjoy this one. **

Chapter 19

"I knew it! I bloody well knew it! You are a traitor!" Lucius screamed down at him. "Severus you are a disgrace!"

"So sue me!" Snape yelled back with a sneer.

"No, I'd rather kill you if it's all the same to you! Miss Granger will have to forgo her wedding to you, if she will be so kind as to forgive me." Lucius called down casually.

"Please do not mention the wedding thing Lucius! It disturbs me to a depth that cannot be fathomed!" Snape said wearily.

Lucius merely smirked.

"And just how do you propose to kill me Lucius?" Snape called up "I doubt you can get to me from there!"

"True, that's why I'm just going to cut this rope and let you be dashed on the ground below you!" The elder Malfoy replied triumphantly.

"Stupid git!" Snape muttered darkly. "Why does he always have to complicate things?"

"He's a Malfoy, it's habit for them! They practically live to complicate the lives of others!" Hermione remarked in his ear.

"How true." Snape said with a sigh.

"Thank you for leaving these behind by the way old friend!" Lucius said holding up the shears.

He reached over and put them to the braided hair rope.

"If you do that, you may kill me, but you will also kill Miss Granger too, and you'll have ruined the Dark Lord's plan!" Snape called up "He can do without me, but he needs Miss Granger!"

Lucius looked thoughtful for a moment before shrugging "Oh well, can't have everything we want, can we? Ce La Vie and all that!"

Snape tensed. "Miss Granger, hold on tight."

He felt Hermione tighten her hold on him in response.

He began to slide down the rope as a fireman would a pole.

"Snippety snip!" Lucius cackled and began hacking at the rope with the shears.

Hermione screamed as she looked up and saw what Lucius was doing.

"STOP!" She screamed.

Snape came to a halt abruptly.  
"NOT YOU! HIM!" Hermione screamed at him.

Snape let out a frustrated growl and continued his swift descent.

They were about a meter or so off of the ground when the rope was severed and they fell to the ground quite safely.

"Run, run like hell!" Snape told Hermione as they scrambled to their feet and bolted into the forest.

Draco had seen them coming from his hiding place behind a nearby bush and bolted in front of them as they ran towards him, tossing Hermione her lost shoe.

She hopped as she ran and put it back on and caught up with Draco and Snape.

"Faster Draco!" Snape panted, running full pelt deeper into the forest.

"I'm not fast on ground!" Draco complained, getting slapped by leaves and branches. "I do better on a broom!"

"Shut up and Run!" Snape snapped. **Smack**! "And think about who's behind you before you release random branches!" he growled, rubbing his now red nose as he continued to run.

"Professor, we're being chased!" Hermione cried from just behind him.

"Oh great, that's all we need! Lucius must have gone and told everyone we've escaped. How inconvenient!" Snape remarked.

Hermione gave a small indignant cry as a bolt of blue light whizzed past her ear.

They ran faster, ducking and dodging hexes and curses from the death eaters pursuing them.

"I'm getting too old for this!" Snape panted, scowling as he ducked as another jet of green light was aimed at him.

Hermione, who was running behind Snape, spotted his wand sticking out of his robes and snagged it. Apparently Snape hadn't noticed, as he kept running.

"Immobulous!" Hermione cried, aiming the wand at the deatheater who was nearest behind them.

The jet of white light hit him square in the chest and he fell over, rigid.

Snape had heard her yell a spell and looked over his shoulder at her in surprise. She could do wandless magic? Since when? Wait a minute, she had a wand…_his_ wand to be precise!

"You know it's rude to steal!" he remarked with a gruff voice over his shoulder.

"You weren't using it, I thought I would!" Hermione shot back, aiming Snape's wand at another death eater.

"Accio wand!" she commanded.

The deatheater gave an aggravated yell as his wand sailed out of his hand and into Hermione's.

"Here, have your wand back!" Hermione told Snape, shoving it into his hands as she ran past.

The three ran, Snape and Hermione throwing random curses and hexes over their shoulders at the pursuing death eaters.

"We have to get to an apparition point!" Snape hissed to his companions.

"We have to get away from these guys first!" Hermione reminded him.

"We have to get to bloody Hogwarts as soon as possible!" Draco chipped in. "I say we just apparate now!"

"Okay, we'll just have to go for it! Head for that big oak tree over there!" Snape hissed as quietly as he could to them.

Nodding, they all headed for the tree. When they reached it, Draco and Hermione grabbed Snape's robes and he apparated all of them with a loud crack, leaving the death eaters angry and put out.

"Damnit!" McNair shouted, frustrated. "What are we going to tell our lord?"

"The truth perhaps?" Knott suggested.

"No, we'd be signing our own death warrants! He'll be so angry that they escaped from us that he'll surely kill us all!" Avery pointed out.

"Don't be daft! He wouldn't kill us all!" McNair sneered "He'd keep some of us alive because he needs servants…and people to give him an ego boost from time to time!"

The death eaters bickered and argued all the way back to the castle.

Meanwhile, Snape, Draco and Hermione had arrived outside the gates of Hogwarts and staggered in, making their exhausted way up to the castle.

It took ten minutes of staggering to get up to the castle and into the entrance hall.

Ron and Harry were just passing by when they staggered in, collapsing to the floor, gasping for breath.

Hermione and Draco were holding each other and Snape was looking generally hacked off.

"Potter!" Snape spat. "Go and fetch Dumbledore!"

"Mione!" Harry and Ron gasped, rushing forward to claim their lost friend.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked.

"How did you get back?" Harry asked.

The tyrade of questions continued until Snape barked at them to shut up.

"Listen Potter, this is important, you can see to Miss Granger later, but it is essensial that we see Dumbledore immedieatly!"

"Severus?" Came a disbelieving voice.

"Minerva!" Snape said happily looking up in relief at the depute Head mistress. "Thank Merlin! Where is Albus?"

"He is…somewhere…I think." McGonnagal said unsure. "Are you all alright? How did you escape?"  
"What is this, Twenty bloody questions? We need to see Albus!" Snape repeated getting angry.

Suddenly, Dumbledore appeared looking depressed and eating a bowl of ice-cream.

"ALBUS!" Snape yelled.

Dumbledore's head snapped up and he saw the three soaked, and disheveled looking people at the bottom of the staircase.

"Severus?" Dumbleore asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. "How did you…"  
"Escape? It's a long story, I'll tell you later, right now, just know that we did escape, and Voldemort knows! He'll be coming here to kill me later and most likely take Miss Granger back. Albus, this is truly it! We have to distroy him this time or all else is doomed!" Snape said beseechingly.  
"But Harry is not ready!" Dumbldore pointed out.

"We have no time to let him get prepared!" Snape shouted in frustration "He either fights when Voldemort comes…or we all die!"

Harry went pale. "Hey, no pressure right?" he quipped.

"We need the order here, now!" Snape said urgently, staggering to his feet.

"That's not possible Severus!" Dumbledore said quietly.  
"Why the hell not?" Snape demanded.

"They went to rescue you three!" Minerva told them.

Three faces showed clear hysteria and disbelief.

"We weren't expecting you to be able to escape on your own!" Dumbledore pointed out. "So the Order set about making plans to break you out. They will be arriving at Voldemort's lair right about now!"

"It's suicide!" Hermione cried.

"They'll be killed! He's really angry!" Draco chimed in.

"You have to call them back!" Snape screamed. "Call them Back!" He took off running down to the dungeons and threw his door open. Rummaging around in his desk, he pulled out a box and opened it and pulled out a large gold coin. Rubbing it vigorously he watched and waited.

Suddenly, Tonk's face swam into view.

"Watcher Sev!" she said cheerfully.

"Where are you?" Snape demanded.

"Shh! We're about to attack Evil Git's castle to get you out! Where are you?" Tonks asked.

"Back at Hogwarts!" Snape said.

"What!" Tonks hissed.

"We escaped already. Miss Granger and Draco are here too, come back! It's too dangerous to attack now!" Snape told her urgently.

"But we've come so far!" Tonks whined.

"Let me talk to Lupin!" Snape snapped.

"Alright alright, keep your frock coat on!" Tonks muttered passing the coin to Remus.

"It's Snarky Sev, he wants us to abandon the mission." Snape heard Tonks say.

Remus' face came into view as he peered down at the coin. "What's the matter Severus?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Snape hissed. "We aren't there anymore! You are heading for disaster! We escaped, and are back at Hogwarts. The Dark Lord knows we are gone and no doubt he is livid. It would be suicide for you to continue!"

"Righto Severus, thank you for the heads up!" Remus said cheerfully.

"Right, lets' go back. Head for Hogwarts!" he told the others.

Snape sighed with relief.

"We'll be there in a few minutes Severus. Tell Albus that we are coming back,"

There was the sound of voices muttering.

"And tell Albus that tea would be very much appreciated, it's freezing out here!" Lupin added, smiling.

Snape sneered, returning to his normal sarky self now that the situation had been rectified…at least for now. "Very well, I suppose I shall have to endure your sweaty, dripping and irritating presences shortly."

"Yes. See you in a few Severus!" Remus chuckled.

Snape tossed the coin back into his desk drawer and hurried back up to Dumbledore.

He found that they had moved into the great hall and were sitting at the Head Table.

Harry and Ron were comforting Hermione while Draco was scowling off to the side.

McGonnagal and Dumbledore were questioning Hermione and Draco about the escape.

"They want tea." Snape said shortly, making his presence known.

Everyone looked up.

"Tea Severus?" McGonnagal said questioningly.

"Yes, tea. The order will be here in a few minutes and they said they would like some tea as it is very cold out there." Snape replied in a bored tone.

"Oh yes of course…Dobby!" Dumbledore said calling to the house-elf.

Dobby appeared wearing his usual attire of odd socks and bright pink tea-cozy."  
"Yes master Dumblydores?" Dobby asked, bowing so low his nose brushed the flagon floor.

"Would you mind bringing tea for everyone? We are expecting guests, so bring plenty!" Dumbledore told the big eyed elf.

"Oh yes master Dumblydores, Dobby would be most grateful to fetch tea!" and he disappeared with a crack.

Hermione and Draco took a moment while everyone else was distracted by Dobby to smile at each other, it was a fleeting moment however as Ron took Hermione's hand making Draco scowl again.  
"Mione, I'm really glad you're alright! I don't know what I'd have done if we'd lost you!"

Hermione smiled, feeling loved. "Thanks Ron. I don't know what I would have done either!"

"Mione, what was Voldemort's plan?" Harry asked suddenly.

Hermione froze. "Oh you know, the usual take over the world stuff, nothing out of the ordinary." She said dismissively.

Draco shuddered. "Seriously Potter, you don't want to know."

The sound of people entering the entrance hall outside of the Great hall could be heard and the doors opened, admitting the order as the trooped in, dripping rainwater everywhere.

"Welcome back!" Dumbledore said jovially. "I am sorry to have sent you on a pointless mission, but I was just a surprised as you to see Severus and the children arrive back unaided.

Draco and Snape smirked. Slytherin's didn't need assistance.

"Well, no harm done I see." Remus said cheerfully. "Although you all look rather roughed up…" he stepped forward and handed a big bar of chocolate to each of them.  
"Here, eat, you'll feel better."

Snape looked down at the chocolate with disdain. "I don't like chocolate!" he remarked, pushing it away.

Hermione thanked Lupin and ate a piece. Draco did the same, minus the thanking part.

Ron smiled sweetly at Hermione. She rolled her eyes and gave him the rest of her chocolate.

Dobby appeared with the tea and made sure everyone got some and dished some cakes out too, shoving a rather large cream filled cake into Snape's hands.

"Professor Snape is too thin, he needs to get fat!" Dobby said sternly wagging a finger at Snape.

This made everyone laugh…Snape didn't find it amusing and sneered.

Tonks sidled up to him while everyone was chatting and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Alright Sev?" she said grinning.

Snape's lip curled. "You have a drip on the end of your nose." He told her, disdain lacing his words.

Tonks took out a tissue and blew her nose diliberatly in Snape's direction making the Potions Master grunt in disgust.

"Is it gone sev?" She asked giving him a great view right up her nose.

Snape sneered in disgust. "Quite."

Harry and Ron grinned. They loved it when Tonks tormented Snape.

"Are you going to eat that? Or are you watching your waistline?" Tonks asked innocently, peering at Snape's cream filled cake.

"I am doing neither." Snape replied still sneering at her. "You disgust me." He added.

"It's nice to know that you feel so comfortable around me that you can speak your mind Sevvie, it means so much to me!" Tonks said warmly before swiping the cake off of Snape's plate and taking a huge bite out of it.

Snape snorted in disgust and walked away from the violently purple haired witch who was happily devouring his cake.

He came to stand beside Dumbledore instead.

"Ah Severus, there you are. Come, tell me about your evening." The old man said, offering Snape a chair.

Snape sighed. "Do I have to?"

"Indeed!" Dumbledore said jovially, waving his teacup around.

Meanwhile, The trio and Draco were sipping on their own tea and munching on their own cakes.

"So, what did Voldemort want with you Mione?" Harry asked again. Apparently he was desperate to know or something.

Hermione and Draco exchanged glances.

"I want to tell them!" Draco said eagerly. This would Scar Potter and Weasel for life!"

"Don't!" Hermione protested. "It's too embarrassing and disgusting!"

"Tell us!" Ron said determinedly.

"It'll put you off your cakes and tea Weasley!" Draco warned, grinning malevolently at him.

"We can handle it." Harry said, getting irritated. "And anyway, nothing I know can put Ron off of his food!"

Hermione groaned and put her head in her hands. "Fine, tell them Draco, but I'm warning you, you aren't going to like it one little bit!"

"Tell us Malfoy!" Harry and Ron demanded, ignoring Hermione.

"Alright then." Draco said shifting into a more comfortable position, closer to Hermione.

"Start from the beginning, I want to know exactly what happened!" Harry stated firmly.

"Well, we were kidnapped as you well know…then we were carried by Crabbe and Goyle's dads to a place where there was a portkey set up. My father had some trouble, but got us all there in the end, and the portkey took us to Voldemort's castle." Draco said in an as-matter-of-fact tone. "Of course, I wasn't scared or anything, it's just Voldemort right?"

"Oh yeah, right." Ron and Harry said shrugging carelessly. Surely Draco was insane or something.

"Anyway, Snape was thrown in front of Voldemort, and Voldemort got really angry that Snape had been treated so roughly. Apparently he thought that Snape was completely loyal and blah blah blah…then he started talking about the wedding the next day. Snape expressed that he had heard of no such thing and Voldemort was shocked that Snape didn't know, but seemed to think it would make a nice surprise all the same. Snape was then told to keep guard over Hermione until the wedding and he took her up to a room somewhere. Wormtail was told to take me to my father…which he did. My father then started to talk to me about the dark lord and how wonderful it was going to be when I got initiated and what benefits there was to it, but I wanted nothing to do with it! He of course questioned me and I admit, I could have come up with a better answer than the one I chose to go with, insignificant, moving on, I finally told him something that had been on my mind for a long time and he got really mad, but then he went all weird on me and started smirking! I knew something was up there and then. He told me who it was Hermione was going to marry the next day."

"It was Voldemort right?" Harry asked wincing. Apparently he had been thinking along the same lines as Draco.

"No, see I thought it was him too, but it wasn't him. It was…well, worse if you can imagine it!"

Harry and Ron goggled at the blond Slytherin.

"Worse than Voldemort? What could be worse than marrying Voldemort?" Ron demanded.

"It's worse, trust me." Hermione stated, shuddering.

"You'll find out in a minute if you'll shut your fat gob Weasley, and let me finish!" Draco snapped.

Ron grumbled and looked miffed, but let Draco continue.

"Actually, Hermione, why don't you tell us what you were doing during all of this malarkey with my father?" Draco decided instead.

"Alright, well, Snape took me up to a room in a tower and we sat and tried to think of who on earth it could be that I was being forced to marry and what the Dark Lord would gain by it. I thought it was Voldemort too, everything just seemed to point to him. Anyway, I got hungry and Professor Snape went and got us some food. He told me Draco was to be initiated and I freaked out for a moment, but Professor Snape set me straight again. We continued to try and think of a plan to get out of tomorrow's event when I suddenly got an idea, thinking of Rapunzel. Professor Snape was slow to catch on, but once I explained my plan, it sunk in. Then Draco came and told us he had found out who it was I was to marry. Oh Merlin it was horrible!" Hermione said pausing to shudder again. "I want that memory removed!"

"Go on Hermione!" Harry urged.

"Anyway, once we found out who it was, I was desperate to escape. We used magic to make my hair grow, and we used it as a rope to climb down from the tower. Professor Snape and Draco made it down alright, but my fear of heights got to me half way down and I found myself frozen with fear and couldn't move.

Professor Snape climbed back up the rope to rescue me but then Lucius Malfoy showed up and started to cut the rope with shears. I really thought we were done for then. But Snape slid down the rope and we didn't fall far. That's when we started running like mad to get into the forest, but by then the other death eaters had been alerted to our escape and were chasing us and firing spells and curses at us. I saw Snape's wand sticking out of his robes and grabbed it and fired a few back at them, then I accio'd one of their wands and gave Snape his back. Then we apparated here and well…here we are." Hermione finished.

Harry had taken her hand and was rubbing it between his own comfortingly and Ron was just gaping at her. Draco had put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"So…who was it that you were supposed to marry?" Harry asked quietly. "You left that part out."

"I can't bring myself to say it." Hermione said turning away in disgust.

Draco cast her a sympathetic look before turning to Harry and Ron.

"I'll tell you." He said.

Harry and Ron leaned forward in anticipation.

"It was Snape." Draco said quietly. "She was being given to Snape as a gift of appreciation for so many years of faithful service!"

Harry and Ron let out indignant and disgusted cries.

"Oh Merlin that's…that's….Oh Merlin!" Ron stammered, going white.

"That's not all." Draco said.

"There's more?" Harry gawped.

Draco nodded and continued. "Apparently Voldemort wanted an heir, of course being the clever man that he thinks he is, he decided to kill two birds with one stone and just have Snape and Hermione marry and bear him and heir. They were to hand over their first born son to him and he would become the next dark lord."

"Oh my God!" Harry cried, hand over his mouth and face white with shock.

Apparently, Snape had reached the same point in the story with Dumbledore, Minerva and the rest of the order as Draco and Hermione had with Harry and Ron.

There was a horrified Shrieks from Minerva and Tonks and Dumbledore, Remus and the others looked dumbstruck. Snape looked like he was going to be sick and Dumbledore shakily handed him another cup of tea. It would seem that the full shock of what he had narrowly avoided had just hit him.

Suddenly, Tonks, Minerva and Mrs Weasley rushed over at once and grabbed Hermione.

"Oh you poor thing!" Molly cried hugging Hermione tight.

"Blimy Mione!" Tonks said "Married to Sev?" she shuddered "That's probably the most disturbing thing I've ever had to think of!"

"Oh my dear Miss Granger!" Professor McGonnagal said tearfully "You poor dear! You poor poor dear!"

"It's alright Professor, Mrs Weasley, Tonks." Hermione said quietly. "It didn't happen, we avoided it!"  
"Yes but the mere thought of…" Professor McGonnagall shivered. "It's just too horrible to think of! You are going to need a memory charm dear…" She looked around at Draco, Harry and Ron and how pale they were. "in fact, you all are I think!"

Meanwhile with the guys.

"You mustn't feel bad Severus, I shall perform memory charms on you all and you will forget all about it!" Dumbledore said comfortingly.

"Yes, see? It's not so bad!" Remus said cheerfully. "If we get that done by morning, no-one in the school will be any the wiser!"

Snape nodded.

"But first we must deal with Voldemort, so I'm afraid the memory charm must wait until after that. Can't go picking a fight when you don't know what you are fighting about now can we?" Dumbledore added.

Snape shook his head and gulped at his tea. Remus poured him another cup.

"That's it, I'm retiring!" Snape said decidedly, taking another sip from his rattling cup as his hand shook. "I'm just going to leave and become a hermit. I'll live in a cave and hold a skull all day reciting poetry! There will be none of this rewarding me by giving me one of my students to marry and all that rot!"

"Severus, I don't think you would like that at all! You would get so bored and start pining for your potions!" Dumbledore reminded him.

"I suppose you have a point." Snape reasoned.

Harry and Ron left the girls and Draco and made their way on shaky legs to where Snape sat with Dumbledore and Remus.

"Professor?" Harry said in a shaky voice.

Snape looked coldly at them. "What is it Potter? Whatever it is, make it quick, I've had a horrendous night!"

"I know Professor, Hermione and Malfoy told us everything." Harry replied. "I just wanted to say that I'm glad you all got away from that horrible fate, and…and to thank you, for getting Mione and even Malfoy back safely."

Dumbledore smiled warmly at Harry and looked at Snape expectantly.

Snape regarded Harry shrewdly for a moment before answering.

"Yes well, one does the best one can. It was my duty as a Professor to protect them and return them safely to the school. As long as they are students here, they are under my guardianship. That includes you Potter, in case you are wondering why I did all in my power to ensure you remained alive these past five years!" Snape sniffed.

Harry smiled. "Thank you for that too Professor!" he added.

Snape cleared his throat gruffly. This was getting too warm hearted now for his comfort.

"You are welcome." He grunted and returned to sipping at his tea.

Harry and Ron turned and went back to Hermione.

Dumbledore grinned. "I think they are starting to warm up to you Severus!" he chuckled.

"Shut up old man if you know what's good for you!" Snape remarked, sneering.

"Do we know anything of what Voldemort is planning to do now that you escaped and declared yourself a traitor?" Dumbledore asked conversationally.

"Well, let's think about that for a moment," Snape said sarcastically going all 'Psychologist' on Dumbledore and pretended to hold an invisible notepad and pen.

Dumbledore indulged him.

"Now, wouldn't you think that given our escape and my declaration for being a traitor and such and the mere fact that I'M NOT THERE WITH HIM would indicate that I know nothing about what he is planning to do now that his first plan has been foiled?" Snape said, his voice calm and soothing until he yelled one part and went back to using a soothing voice to finish up his question.

"Tell me Albus, what does that make you think about hmm? What does Albus Dumbledore's mind conjure up in reference to such a question?"

Dumbledore smiled merrily and chuckled. "It tells me you should be a psychologist Severus! You are rather good at it!"

Snape glared. "My point is, Albus, that given I am not there with him, I don't know what he is planning to do next."

"I gathered that Severus, I was just asking if you had perhaps picked up on any pieces of information the Death eaters may have been foolish enough to yell as you were leaving." Dumbledore said cheerfully. "It would appear not, no matter, we shall find out soon enough."

"I know he won't attack at least for a week. He will need to gather his men around him and concoct a plan. I don't doubt that he will try another kidnapping, though perhaps not quite so public this time." Snape said seriously. "I'm basing this on what I know of him. I can more or less gage how his mind works."

Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Indeed. Well, I think it has been a most tense and disturbing night for us all, it is time for bed I should think. Perhaps we will all be able to think more rationally after some sleep."

Snape nodded. He just wanted to get back to his dungeons and shut the world away for a while.

Dumbledore announced that everyone should retire to bed and that everything would look better in the morning.

Hermione, Draco, Harry and Ron left the hall together, talking quietly.

When they reached the entrance hall, Hermione turned to Harry and Ron.

"Can I have a few moments alone with Draco?" She asked.

"Of course yeah," Harry said dragging a slightly protesting Ron up to stand on the top step of the grand Staircase.

Hermione turned to Draco who was smiling at her.

"What a night eh?" Draco quipped. "Sorry about my father, he can be such an embarrassment at times!"

"Yes, well, he wasn't' the worst part." Hermione said with a laugh. "I'm really glad you were there Draco."

"Me too. Well, not glad that I was there and almost got initiated, but glad that I was there for you." Draco said smiling.

"when you were telling Harry and Ron earlier about what had happened, you said that you had told your father something that had been bothering you for quite some time…what was it that had been bothering you?" Hermione asked curiously.

Draco blushed and looked away. "Oh, nothing important really." He mumbled.

"Well whatever it was, your father didn't react very well. Was it something bad?" Hermione asked.

"Bad to him yes, to me, no." Draco replied.

He was being cryptic with his answers and Hermione got the message. He didn't want to talk about it right then and so let it drop.

"Well, alright, I'd better get to bed, I'm very very tired!" she said yawning and stretching.

"Me too." Draco agreed, also yawning.

"Well, goodnight Draco." Hermione said smiling.

"Goodnight Hermione." Draco said softly, leaning in and giving her a tender kiss on the cheek.

"Merlin, don't you two ever stop?" Came an peeved and familiar voice.

"Sorry Professor!" Hermione said, blushing.  
Draco merely smirked.

"Come Draco, off to bed with you!" Snape said putting a hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Yes Professor." Draco said grinning. "I'll see you tomorrow Hermione. Until then…" He blew her a kiss.

Hermione blushed.

Snape turned to face Hermione, his trademark glare and sneer in place. "Well what are you waiting for Miss Granger, go to bed!" he said in his usual manner.

Hermione grinned. She had been concerned that things would be different between her and Snape now, but it turned out she had been worrying for nothing! Snape was back to being himself, and was as snarky and mean as ever!

"Goodnight Professor!" She said cheerfully before turning and running up the stairs to join her two friends.

They were going to need a good nights sleep if they were going to work out what they were going to do about Voldemort's second attack, which undoubtedly would come very soon.

Draco and Snape strolled sleepily along the corridors of the dungeon.

"I have a question for you Draco." Snape said wearily.

"What is it Professor?" Draco yawned.

"What exactly was it that you told your father?" Snape asked.

Draco smiled. "You really can't help but be nosy can you?"

"You know me Draco, I won't drop it until I have the answer to my question!" Snape said in a bored tone.

"Very well, I'm too tired to argue with you. I told him that I was in love…with Hermione." Draco said yawning again.

Snape stopped dead in his tracks. "You what?"

"I told him…"  
"Yes I heard you the first time!" Snape said hurriedly. "Draco are you insane?"

"Not that I know of Professor!" Draco stated.

"Draco, you telling your father such a…ah…bold statement regarding such a delicate matter was…well stupid!" Snape said carefully.  
Draco shrugged. "And?"

"And this means he will be seeking his own kind of revenge on you and Miss Granger! You imbecile Draco! Not only is Voldemort after our blood, but you've got your father on a rampage too!" Snape pointed out.

"Oh, yes, I didn't think about that." Draco said thoughtfully. "Oh well, we shall just have to put him in his place too, when the time comes."

"Have you any idea how serious this is?" Snape demanded.

"Indeed, you forget I am his son. He raised me, you know. I know everything about him!" Draco said nonchalantly.

"Not everything, Draco, you only know him as a son would his father, but you don't know him as a man! I do, and it's not a pretty picture!" Snape said scowling. "Really it is a most disturbing thing to know your father!"

"Psh! Like your father won the father of the year award!" Draco snorted.

"I didn't say he did!" Snape said defensively "And you'd better not mention my father to me again or I'll dig up his corpse from the secret place I buried it after I avada'd him, and put him beside you in your bed while you are sleeping and…" Snape stopped, massaging his temples. "Just…just promise me one thing…promise me you won't blab anymore unnerving secrets to your father if you know your family doesn't support it!"

"Alright, alright, keep your boxers on!" Draco said huffily.

"How do you know I wear boxers?" Snape asked suddenly, eying Draco suspiciously.

Draco had the grace to look sheepish and poked the ground with the toe of his shoe. "Well, that time Pansy had that crush on you…she spied on you and well, blabbed to the whole of Slytherin house that you wore green silk boxers with little cauldrons on them."

"WHAT?" Snape bellowed.

"But it's okay! I told them that if they told anyone outside of Slytherin, that they would be resorted into Gryffindor. Suffice to say, no-one outside Slytherin knows." Draco was quick to say.

Snape relaxed somewhat. "Yes, well, I switched to Boxers after the Lily Evans saw my underwear while I was attending Hogwarts." His cheeks still burned with humiliation at the mere memory.

"What are you going all red for? One would think you had a crush on Potter's mother…" Draco laughed.

Snape's eyes darted around quickly, avoiding Draco's eyes.

Draco stopped laughing abruptly. "Oh no…you didn't!"

Snape said nothing.

"Tell me you didn't!" Draco said desperately.

"Hey, you can't judge me! You are in love with Miss Granger!" Snape shot back. "I only had a crush on Evans and that was years ago!"

Draco smirked. "At least I'm not in love with the woman that was Harry Potter's mother!"

"You don't know who's mother Miss Granger will be!" Snape countered.

"Ah, but I do know that if I have my way…and I usually do…she'll be my children's mother…" he stopped, and clamped a hand over his mouth.

Snape stared at him with wide eyes.

"Too much information!" the both said decidedly.

"Okay, I won't tell if you won't." Draco said.

"Deal." Snape replied.

There was an awkward silence.

"Well, goodnight!" Draco said before dashing off down the corridor, mortified.

Snape didn't bother replying, choosing instead to dart into the safety of his rooms and slam the door behind him.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The next morning saw everyone in the Great Hall at breakfast.

Harry, Hermione and Ron were huddled together nearest the teacher's table where Snape sat eating his boiled eggs in stony silence.  
Draco was being fawned over by Pansy Parkinson at the Slytherin table.

"I was so afraid for you Draco! I didn't know if I'd ever see you again!" Pansy cooed pitifully.

"Well, now that I'm back, I just want to forget it." Draco told her poking his breakfast around his plate.

"You were going to be initiated weren't you?" Pansy whispered to him.

Draco raised his eyes to glare at her. "I told you to drop it!" he hissed.

Pansy sighed in frustration. "You know you used to tell me everything! Why don't you do that anymore?"

"There's nothing to tell Pansy! I got kidnapped along with Snape and Granger and we escaped, end of story!" Draco snapped.

"Pansy, just leave him for now, he's had a rough time. We should let him settle down from his experience before expecting him to talk about it." Blaise Zabini said quietly.

Draco gave Blaise a weak smile of thanks before standing and walking over to the Gryffindor table.

The trio were discussing what Voldemort may plan to do next when Draco approached them.

"Hermione." He said quietly.

Hermione turned to face him and smiled. "Hey Draco."

"How are you?" Draco asked.

"I've been better, but hey, circumstances being what they are…" Hermione replied shrugging.  
"Would you three mind if I joined you?" Draco asked.

Hermione looked to her two friends.

"Of course." Harry said.

Hermione beamed at them before shifting down to make room for Draco.

"What's bothering you?" Harry asked, taking a spoonful of cornflakes into his mouth.

"I almost got initiated last night." He told them "I just need some friends around me right now."

Harry and Ron seemed taken aback at that confession.

"You consider us friends?" Ron asked, bewildered.

"Yes, if that's alright with you." Draco answered with a sneer.

"Fine by us." Harry said sneering back.

"Oh you guys!" Hermione croaked tearfully.

"Oh no, she's going to cry!" Ron warned the other two.

Draco put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "Settle Granger!"

"Ooh post is here!" Hermione pointed out suddenly.

Sure enough, dozens of owls were swooping into the great hall dropping letters and packages all over the place.

An owl dropped the Daily Prophet in front of Hermione and she opened it with a flourish.

On the front page were school photos of a smiling Hermione, a smirking Draco and a scowling and stern Professor Snape. In huge lettering above the photos the headline read "Death Eater siege at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Two students and a Professor kidnapped!

Hermione's stomach dropped into her shoes. How did they find out?

She heard Draco snort from beside her. He was looking over her shoulder at the paper.

"What does it say?" He asked.

Hermione forced herself to start reading the article below the headline and photos.

"Terror ended the Hogwarts annual ball last night when Death Eater's stormed the castle under He-who-must-not-be-named's orders. Numerous students from all houses 4th year and up were injured in the battle, though several Death Eaters were killed. Although Hogwart's escaped without casualties, it suffered the loss of two Student's and a Professor when they were kidnapped from the scene.

The kidnapped persons have been identified as follows. Muggleborn Hermione Jane Granger of Gryffindor House and best friend of Harry Potter, Pureblood Draco Lucius Malfoy of Slytherin House, son of Lucius Antoine Malfoy and Halfblood Professor Severus Alexander Tobias Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House.

No doubt Headmaster Albus Dumbledore will be most anxious to see the safe return of these Students and his Potions Professor and so we send our most heartfelt sympathies to Professor Dumbledore, and wait anxiously for any sign or word of the hostages." Hermione finished reading there.

"How do they know this stuff?" Ron asked. "Someone had to have told them!"

Hermione shrugged "I'm just glad that Voldemort's plan wasn't told to them. I don't think I could bear it if it got out that I was being kidnapped to marry Professor Snape! I mean can you imagine the response?"

"That would royally suck!" Malfoy declared. "And…gross the wizarding world out in a big way…hmmm, the idea has merit…" he added, scratching his chin evilly.

"Don't you dare!" Hermione shrieked. "Draco if you tell anyone I will die of embarrassment!"

"You're too easy to wind up Granger!" Draco laughed.

Harry and Ron laughed, then stopped and looked warningly at Draco.  
"But seriously, if you tell, you're a dead man!" Ron said.

Draco smirked. "As if I would!"

Hermione smiled. "I'm trusting you Draco, don't let me down."

"I won't let you down, I promise." Draco said kissing her on the tip of her nose.

Harry and Ron made faces and returned hastily to their breakfasts.

Suddenly there was a ruckus at the teacher's table and everyone turned to see a spluttering red-faced Snape standing with a letter in his hand, looking both confused and deeply disturbed.

"I don't believe it!" He said in disbelief "I just don't bloody believe it!"

Dumbledore had gotten up from his seat and stood behind Snape with a hand on the upset Potion's master's shoulder.

"Whatever's the matter Severus?" Dumbledore asked, concern etched on his wise old face.

Harry Ron, Hermione and Draco stared at Snape in apprehension.

Snape slapped the letter with one hand. "This! Just read it and tell me that's not real!"

Dumbledore read the letter over Snape's shoulder as the four students waited anxiously.

After a minute or so of reading and various noises coming from Dumbledore ranging from gasps, to 'Ha!", to chuckling and back to gasps and finally ending in a grave expression.

"What do you make of it Albus?" Snape demanded "He can't be that stupid, surely!"

"I think, Severus, that he is perfectly capable of being that stupid!" Dumbledore chuckled.

"What do you propose we do?" Snape asked quietly.

"I think it wise to inform Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy immediately, as well as Mr potter and Mr Weasley." Dumbledore replied gravely.

Snape nodded solemnly and looked up at the four students who quickly turned back to their breakfasts, pretending that they hadn't been watching the conversation.

"Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger, please come with us for a moment." Dumbledore said coming up to them, Snape in tow.

"You two as well." He added nodding at Harry and Ron.

The four got up, looking questioningly at the two Professors and followed them out to the whispers of their fellow students and concerned looks from McGonnagall.

They left the Great Hall and swiftly went down into Snape's office to make sure they wouldn't be overheard by anyone, avoiding sprigs of mistletoe as they went. They were getting pretty good at avoiding that cursed plant. Dumbledore made a mental not to put more up.

Once there, and kiss free, Dumbledore explained what was happening.

"Professor Snape has just received a letter." He told them.

"And that warrents our getting into a huddle why?" Draco asked.

"Let me explain. This letter was sent by Voldemort." Dumbledore informed them all.

There was a bewildered silence.

"Voldemort…sent a letter…by owl to Professor Snape." Harry clarified, not quite believing that the dark lord would send a letter at all.

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but he did." Dumbledore said taking the letter from Snape and holding it up for all to see.

"And if that is not unbelievable enough for you, you should read what's in it!" Snape spat looking very disgruntled.

Dumbledore handed the letter to Hermione and the boys gathered around her to read it too, but she read aloud anyway.

Dear Severus, my most loyal follower,

I realize that I have never owled you before, preferring other means of communication, but I decided this would be fine just once, and that way you don't have to leave Hogwarts again making it look suspicious.

Firstly, I would like to offer my apologies for the behaviour of your fellow death eaters when they kidnapped you last night. They were supposed to kidnap Miss Granger alone, and Lucius was at Liberty to have Draco come along, as he was to be initiated. I was not going to summon you until the following evening. I wanted to surprise you, you see, but they ruined that…never mind, we'll just go ahead with the plan anyway. We have moved the date back a bit, that gives us time to prepare fully, as well as obtain Miss Granger once more, I do have a plan for that, which I will not bore you with the details of, but rest assured that we will obtain her again and you will have your reward and I will have my heir.

Now, with regards to last night's events, my Death Eaters informed me that you really had betrayed me this time and had 'escaped' with the girl and young Mr Malfoy from the tower. Now, I know you must be concerned Severus, but let me reassure you that I don't believe a word they said. I am confident that you were just as surprised as I was that you were kidnapped and thought it best to return to Hogwarts under stealth to fix the mistakes that the other's made. Your ideas and elaborate plans in the past have been carried out in much the same way, you disappearing without my knowing and such, just to make sure that old fool of a headmaster thinks that you have foiled my plans, thus buying us more time, so I won't fret over it.

Also as a result of your fellow death eaters' constant whining that you are have betrayed me and are not loyal at all, I have taken the liberty of using Crucio on them all on your behalf. So that's that taken care of. Hopefully they will get a bit of sense and stop accusing you of such things.

I hope this puts you at rest dear Severus, you are still my most loyal follower.

Sincerely,

Lord Voldemort.

Hermione gaped at the letter along with the three boys.

"How thick could you get?" Ron said.

"That is laughable!" Hermione declared handing the letter back to Snape.

"Go ahead, laugh." Snape snorted "I just can't believe he still thinks I'm loyal!"

Dumbledore chuckled. "You certainly have him well convinced of your loyalty Severus if he is willing to believe you still faithful after climbing down Miss Granger's hair to escape him!"

"No, he's just really stupid!" Snape said looking disgusted. "I cannot believe he is so stupid! Surely you'd think he would get the point by now!"

"It's sad really, when you think about it." Draco said sympathetically "He really believes that you are still loyal! I mean, he must really trust you!"

"You know, this makes him less scary!" Ron said grinning "He had us all thinking he was really evil and would kill you as quick as look at you…but he's just a stupid git really isn't he?"

"Do not become so complacent Mr Weasley." Snape said darkly "He may be bad at writing letters and putting things into longwinded words, but he is truly evil, and he will kill you as quick as look at you…eventually. And although he has even me questioning his common sense, he does have several death eaters who manage to think up good plans for him."

That put Ron's gas at a peep to say the least.

"So we should continue to fear him?" Harry asked.

"That would be wise, yes." Snape replied.

"You know what the most frustrating thing about this letter is?" Dumbledore said sounding frustrated. "He tells you that he has a plan for obtaining Miss Granger once more, but that he does not want to bore you with the details of said plan!"

"Tell me about it!" Snape agreed "I'm not normally left out of the loop!"

"It doesn't make any sense." Hermione said suspiciously. "Or is he really that stupid?"

"I'm going to go with the stupid theory." Draco decided. "For now at least."

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said tentatively "it pains me to say it, but I couldn't help noticing that since you first came to Hogwarts, you have been suspicious of most things and people…Perhaps you should not suspect quite so much?"

Hermione opened her mouth to defend her reasons for suspecting Voldemort of foul play but Snape spoke first.

"Headmaster, perhaps Miss Granger has a valid reason this time…after all, it is Voldemort!" Snape pointed out.

"I suppose you are right, Severus. You usually are." Dumbledore said thoughtfully "But she has been wrong before…she suspected you for three years!"

"Actually, if I may correct you Sir, it was Harry and Ron that suspected Professor Snape. I was the one who tried to make them see sense." Hermione piped up.

Dumbledore frowned and scratched his beard in confusion. "Oh…oh well then, I really am losing my marbles then. I was sure it was you!"

Hermione, Draco and Snape shook their heads.

Dumbledore shrugged. "Ah, well lets get this figured out then." He said gesturing to the letter.

They all stood and put their thinking faces on.

"What if it's like Mione said?" Harry said suddenly "What if it's all an elaborate plot to kidnap Mione and Kill Snape?"

"It's possible." Dumbledore said thoughtfully.

"I wouldn't put it past him…although, his plans have never really been all that elaborate before..." Snape put in "Death Eaters aside."

"I think he's just a big stupid git and really thinks you are still loyal!" Draco said in an as-matter-of-fact tone.

"Oh this is getting us nowhere!" Snape said in frustration.

"Alright, lets go our separate ways for now and think on it." Dumbledore said wisely "I think once we have gotten our heads around the fact that Tom owled you Severus, we will be able to think a bit clearer."

Everyone sighed and reluctantly agreed.

Classes came and went, lots was learned and taught and everyone went to bed weary and ready for a good nights sleep.

Hermione dressed for bed, going through her nightly ritual of brushing her hair, washing her face and brushing her teeth before climbing into bed.

She lay there in the dark contemplating the day's events.

That letter Snape had received had her mind whirring. It was only to be expected that Voldemort would attempt another kidnapping. From her own experience of him, she knew he was persistent and evil personified, but aside from this, she knew very little of him and his personality and such. Snape would be the only one who really knew him and if he was thrown by the letter, what hope was there that they could figure this thing out before it was too late?

Troubled, Hermione slept, tossing and turning fitfully, dreaming of towers, Voldemort, and for some reason, Lucius Malfoy skipping through a meadow full of sunflowers which was, in her opinion, the most disturbing part of the dream.

Hermione wasn't the only one who didn't sleep well.

The next day saw six very tired people shuffle into the great hall for breakfast.

Dumbledore sat at the teachers table looking deep in thought one seat down from him sat Snape, scowling into his bacon and eggs and sipping on some very strong coffee.

Minerva McGonnigall sat between the two, looking back and forth between them with a troubled expression.

"Have you two had a fight?" She asked suddenly, curiosity getting the better of her.

"No." the two men answered.

"Then why so glum? Both of you look like you've just been sentenced to Azkaban!" McGonnagall stated.

"I wish that were the case." Snape muttered, spearing a mushroom savagely.

"Now Severus, we must never wish for such things!" Dumbledore said sternly.

"Oh yes, because you bloody well know I just so happened to wish for my current situation!" Snape snapped.

"Severus, there's no need to be so rude!" McGonnagall said, shocked that Snape would talk to Dumbledore like that.

Snape stood so quickly, he almost upset the table. "You talk of being rude, Minerva." He said in a dangerously low voice, leaning down to speak directly to McGonnagall. "You should know then that prying into a situation that has nothing to do with you is also rude!"

McGonnagall gaped in shock at Snape's outburst. "How…how dare you-"  
"I dare because I can!" Snape snapped turning and storming from the great hall in a swirl of black, illiciting cries of pain from startled students as the corner hems of his robes slapped students at the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables as he passed between them, leaving behind a very insulted and offended McGonnagall.

"What's got his wand in a knot?" She asked Dumbledore.

Dumbledore winced as the Doors of the Great Hall slammed shut with such vengence it caused some masonary to come down from the doorway.

"Severus is under a lot of stress right now. It's best to leave him alone for now. Try not to question him too much." The headmaster replied.

"I didn't question him!" McGonnagall said indignantly "I corrected him on his attitude towards you!"

"He isn't a child Minerva. Severus is a very proud man, he hates to be corrected on anything, you know that!" Dumbledore chuckled.

"Well he acts so childish sometimes that I forget he's an adult!" Minerva sniffed.

At the two hem slapped tables, several students were rubbing sore bits.

"It felt like when someone slaps you with the wet corner of a towel!" Seamus bleated, rubbing a furious red welt on his cheek where the corner of Snape's robe had caught him.

"He really needs to get rid of those robes! They're lethal!" one Ravenclaw remarked moodily.

"Yeah, well I had a mind to jump up and bitch slap him right back!" a second year Gryffindor declared.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were looking depressed. They knew why Snape had stormed from the hall…they didn't blame him. The stress of the situation was getting to them all.

Harry and Ron feared for Hermione's safety. Hermione feared for Draco's safety and Draco feared it all.

Come time for classes, and everyone was dreading potions that day…and for good reason.

Snape was in a foul temper. He made his first year class wet themselves when he skipped throwing chalk and threw a loaded duster instead at one of his students when they sneezed.

His second year class fared no better. When one of the students asked to be let out to go to the bathroom, he screamed at them, giving them detention for a week.

The third and fourth years just knew by now not to speak or ask or even move when Snape was in such a disposition and they escaped relatively unscathed.

Unfortunately, his fifth year class wasn't so sharp.

As the sixth years came up to the door for potions, they were stopped by the fifth years fleeing the potions classroom in sheer terror.

"Hey, what's your problem!" Draco snapped as a girl nearly ran him over in her bid to flee.

"It's Professor Snape!" She replied nervously glancing over her shoulder "He's gone off his rocker! He gave Edward Perrin's detention for a week for breathing too loud, and he really gave poor Belinda Spatz a doozy! She has a bit of a cough, and Snape screamed at her wanting to know why she insisted on coughing through his lecture, she told him she had a frog in her throat so to speak…well Snape wasn't buying it and took his wand out and hexed a real frog into her throat! It was awful!"

"Didn't she choke?" Hermione asked out of interest.

"No, she made to spit it out after coughing it up, but Snape made her swallow it!" the girl replied, looking very vexed. "She's still in there throwing up!"

There was a frustrated growl from Snape's classroom "For Merlin's sake girl aren't you done yet? I have another class to teach!"

"He sounds really angry!" Hermione said nervously. "Good thing we know his moods by now. Hopefully Neville won't mess up his potion today or it'll be curtains for him!"

Neville gulped behind her.

"It's alright Neville, remember, Snape is human like the rest of us. There's only so much he can do. He can't kill or harm you." Hermione reminded Neville, who nodded, gathering his courage before following his classmates into the serpent's den.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:Hey everyone, here's the next chapter! Sorry it isn't as long as the others but I have had so much to do lately. Also, I'm a finalist in the "Dramiony awards" for 'Last Laugh' category. If you like this story, feel free to vote for me.**

**Anyway, I'll stop boring you and let you get on with it. Enjoy. **

Chapter 21

They all took their usual seats and silently set about getting their equipment set up for the day's lesson, trying to ignore the poor fifth year throwing up in the corner.

Snape was moodily writing up the potion ingredients on the board, growling every now and then as the chalk snapped and he had to use a new one.

"Bloody chalk!" He snarled upon breaking his 5th piece and lobbed the two halves at Neville.

Neville squeaked in fright as the chalk smacked him in the forehead and he fell off of his stool backwards.

Hermione sent him a sympathetic look and moved to help him up but gasped when she felt something hard and papery whack her in the shoulder.

Turning suddenly to see what it was, she saw a potions book lying on her desk and looking up she saw a livid Snape glaring at her, nostrils flaring in rage.

"Where do you think you are going?" He snarled.

"I was just going to help Neville up off of the floor Professor!" Hermione protested rubbing her shoulder where the book Snape had thrown at her had struck.

"Sit down and shut up!" Snape snapped.

Hermione did as she was told and slunk back into her stool and kept her head down.

Draco scowled at Snape. Sure times were tough but there was no need to take it out on everyone else.

"There," Snape snapped slamming his chalk down on his desk. "There you have it you filthy little cretins!" he gestured wildly at the board. "Get on with it!"

Nobody protested, choosing to avoid grievous bodily harm by obeying Snape.

Hermione had one question about the potion, but dared not ask him.

Ron desperately needed to cough, but glancing once at the wretched girl in the corner made him withstand the tickle in his throat.

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he looked around at his nervous classmates.

Snape was sitting as his desk with his head in his hands looking as though he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Draco was chopping up his ingredients, trying to be quiet about it as he cast worried glances up at Snape every so often.  
Hermione kept her head down and worked as quickly and quietly as she could. Suddenly, she looked up at Snape, a look of pity crossed her face. She took out her wand and whispered an incantation while waving her wand.

A cup of tea appeared on her desk and she took it up as she got up from her seat.

Harry shook his head frantically as she crept towards Snape. Was she insane? Did she want to die?  
She reached Snape's desk. "Professor Snape?" She said softly.

"What?" Snape snapped without raising his head.

"I…I thought you might like this." Hermione answered.

Snape looked up at her before lowering his eyes to the hot tea she held in her hand.

Snape sighed. "Thank you Miss Granger." He said quietly, gratefully accepting the tea.

Hermione gave him a small smile. "We'll be fine Sir. We'll figure it out." She whispered to him.

Snape nodded and waved her back to her seat wearily.

Hermione obeyed and went back to her seat, continuing with her potion.

Snape was relatively calm for the remainder of the class, with the exception of one incident involving the same girl from his 5th year class when she finished throwing up finally whereupon Snape stormed over to her and cleaned up the mess before throwing her bodily from his classroom.

The 6th years left the potions room in relief, glad to have escaped with their lives intact, although Neville was a gibbering wreck.

"Hey Mione," Harry said when they were well out of earshot of the potions room, "how did you know a cup of tea would help?"

Hermione smiled. "Sometimes all that is needed to cure all ails is a nice cup of tea. It works wonders and more magic than any potion!" (A/N: It's true you know! It can make it all better! )

Harry grinned. "I'll bear that in mind."

"Professor is under a lot of stress right now Harry, we can't be too mean to him." Hermione said seriously.

"Aren't we all?" Harry countered "But you don't see us flipping out and throwing dusters and chalk at people!"

"No, but you have to understand that Snape is in a very difficult position, not only is he a spy for the order, but just when he thought he'd escaped Voldemort, he finds that Voldemort isn't too bright and won't let him go…on top of that, he is still under pressure to…" Hermione paused to make a disgusted face "…marry me, a student! And then there's Draco, his godson, having to get initiated into the very thing that caused so much pain and suffering in Snape's own life…how would you react?"

"I suppose when you put it like that…" Harry admitted.

Hermione nodded.

It hadn't struck Harry until that moment just how selfless Hermione could be. She was Gryffindor incarnate!

"Hermione!" Draco called from somewhere behind her.

She turned just in time to see him run up to her.

"Where are you heading?" Draco asked.

"Common room, where else?" Harry said incredulously.

"Why do you ask?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I was just wondering if you would join me in the library for some study." Draco said casually.

Hermione's eyes lit up. "Really? Sure that would be great!"

"Great, lets go then." Draco said taking her hand.

"Wait, I have to put my stuff in the common room." Hermione informed him.

"Can't Potter take it up for you?" Draco asked, looking at Harry.

Harry sighed, nodding. "Yeah, here, give me your stuff Mione."

"Just a sec, I need parchment and quills for notes!" Hermione said eagerly digging in her book bag. She took out what she needed and handed her book bag to Harry.

"Thanks Harry, I'll see you at dinner!" Hermione called over her shoulder as Draco pulled her towards the library.

"What are we going to study?" She asked the blonde Adonis.

"We are going to find a way out of whatever Voldemort has planned. Starting with wizarding marriage ceremonies." Draco replied in a determined voice.

"But nobody is getting married!" Hermione said firmly.

"Don't be naïve Hermione!" Draco said shaking his head sadly. "Voldemort will make another attempt to kidnap you, Snape will be brought along, I will be no doubt taken by my father and we'll be right back where we were a few nights ago!"

"Oh ye of little faith!" Hermione quipped.

"Oh ye of little sense!" Draco countered lovingly, "Hermione, love, listen to me. This is going to happen. We have no way of avoiding it. What matters is getting out of it when we are there! If we can find some sort of loophole in the marriage ceremony that would render it null and void, then we are laughing! Voldemort will have every impression that you and Snape are married, but by wizarding law…even muggle law, you won't be married at all!"

"Draco, I really doubt that it will come to that!" Hermione insisted. "Heck, we don't even know if they will be successful in kidnapping me again!"

"They will, they'll just be more quiet and careful about it this time." Draco told her.

Hermione sighed. "Fine, let's get as much information as we can about it all and then take it from there."

Once in the library, Hermione and Draco gathered as many books about Wizarding and muggle marriage ceremonies as they could find and poured over them, taking notes.

After an hour or so, Draco exclaimed that he was confused. "What's with shoving cake in each other's faces?" he asked pointing to a picture of two muggles smearing cake over each other's faces. "Is that sealing the deal? Does that mean that if they don't do that, they aren't married?"

Hermione laughed. "No, that's just a tradition. I'm not really sure why they do it that way."

Draco snorted, shaking his head in bewilderment before continuing his search.

"Holy crap!" Hermione exclaimed throwing a book entitled "Dark magic weddings and such." Away from her as though it were poisonous to the touch.

"What is it?" Draco asked grabbing the book she'd thrown.

Hermione pointed a finger gingerly at the moving picture that had disturbed her so much.

"Oh that." Draco said nonplussed, yes, that's fairly normal."

"But…but they're…" Hermione stammered.

"Copulating right there in front of everyone?" Draco supplied, "Yes, it's normal for the darker witches and wizards to do that at their wedding ceremony. It's part of it all, witnesses and all that rot. It's supposed to ensure that the marriage is final and legal!"

"That's disgusting!" Hermione bleated. "Why do all the wedding guests have to see it?"

"Well, there was some problems with forced marriages within the darker legions, where the couple that married didn't…seal the deal so to speak, and as a result, many marriages of this nature were considered null and void, because they couldn't prove to the ministry that they had consummated the marriage, so they changed the rules to having witnesses to it to ensure it took place."

"Who made those rules?" Hermione demanded "I hardly think the ministry would-"  
"That's just it," Draco said, "the ministry has no say over what constitutes a marriage strictly speaking…oh sure they've got to have documental proof, and proof of the consummation, but as to how that consummating is done, it's every wizard for themselves!"  
Hermione cringed. "You said this is a dark wizard thing, right?"

"Yes." Draco affirmed. "My mother and father had this sort of ceremony, in fact, I was apparently conceived at the alter!"

"Too much information Draco!" Hermione said shuddering.

"Sorry." Draco said sheepishly.

"So, normal wizarding ceremonies don't do this, right?" Hermione asked curiously.

"No. Just the dark ones." Draco confirmed.

They sat in thought for a moment.

Suddenly, Hermione's face lit up. "Draco that's it!"

"What?" Draco asked not following her.

"You said that to make it null and void, the marriage must not be consummated!" Hermione said excitedly.

"Yes." Draco said still not catching on.

"Well the solution is simple!" Hermione said happily. "We just won't consummate it!"

Draco grinned and began to celebrate but suddenly remembered something. "Not so fast…there is the small yet majorly inconvenient fact that…It will be a dark wedding, Voldemort will require it of you…if you don't, he'll just make you do it. There is that little curse known as the Imperius that he's been known to favour."

Hermione's triumphant smile vanished. Crap…she'd forgotten about that in her excitement.

The gong sounded for dinner, interrupting their thoughts.

"Well, at least we've found something…it wasn't a total loss. We just have to put off consummating the marriage as long as possible, and hope that the order get there!" Hermione said sadly.

Draco nodded and they left the library.

Just as they reached the great hall, they bumped into Snape, luckily Hermione leaped back just in time so that she wasn't beneath the mistletoe with him.

"Professor!" Draco said, "We have something to tell you."

"We've come up with a plan, Sir." Hermione said "It's not a great plan, but it's the best we've got."

"Plan for what?" Snape demanded.

"We suspect that given that Voldemort is a dark wizard, that he will want to conduct a dark wizard wedding ceremony." Draco said in a low voice.

"Yes yes, get on with it!" Snape said irritably

"Alright alright, keep your boxers on!" Draco snapped. "We found out that by ministry standards, the only way that the marriage is legal is by consummation, but they need evidence, so dark wizards do it right there at the alter! We figured that you and Hermione just won't consummate it!"

"Duh!" Snape said uncharacteristically. "There's just one little flaw in your 'plan'."

"Way ahead of you Professor." Hermione said calmly. "I know Voldemort will just make us do it anyway, that's why we just stall for as long as we can. Dance, stutter over words, trip and fall, render ourselves unconscious, whatever, just as long as we give the order time to arrive, if they hadn't already by that time!"

Snape sighed. "This is the best you could do? It's awfly…primitive."

"So far, yes." Draco answered. "We'll have more time to do research tomorrow, it's a Saturday so we have all day."

"Well I suppose it's better than nothing." Snape muttered. "Now go to dinner."

"Yes Professor." Hermione and Draco said in unison before entering the great hall just ahead of Snape.

Feeling the familiar halt, they grinned.

"Oops!" Draco said "Forgot about that!"

"No you didn't." Snape muttered. "I'm surprised you still think you need a bloody excuse! Get on with it so I can get past!"

"Yes sir!" Draco said wrapping Hermione in his arms, dipping her and kissing her thoroughly.

Snape rolled his eyes. "Come on! I don't have all bloody night!"

Draco reluctantly let Hermione go and they went to their respective tables.

Snape didn't get far though. He was jerked back suddenly and he cringed.

Looking to his left he saw the problem.

"Oops!" Minerva McGonnagall chuckled.

"You stupid woman!" Snape snapped. "Did you forget about the insufferable plant?" he demanded pointing up at the Mistletoe above them.

"Yes, I did as it happens! You know you could be a little nicer Severus! You aren't exactly enamouring me to want to kiss you right now!" Minerva huffed.

"I don't want to enamour anyone, least of all you!" Snape raged.

"Well I don't exactly want to kiss you either! I'd rather kiss the Whomping Willow!" Minerva shrieked, outraged.

"The feeling is mutual, I assure you!" Snape shouted back.

By now everyone in the great hall was watching the two Professors and what was fast becoming a screaming match.

"I wouldn't kiss you if I was offered an Order of Merlin, First Class!" Minerva cried.

"I wouldn't kiss you if you were the last woman on earth!" Snape shouted.

"I HATE YOU!" Minerva screeched at Snape.

"I HATE YOU MORE!" Snape bellowed back, red in the face and his fists balled at his sides.

Suddenly they grabbed one another, kissed briefly and rather violently before shoving each other away and storming up to the staff table still bickering back and forth.

"Stuffed shirted Bat!" McGonnagal snapped.

"Interfering old prune!" Snape shot back.

"Inconsiderate Git!" McGonnagal sneered.

"Insufferable cow!" Snape countered.

The students watched them go up to the staff table and take their seats in an aloof manner where they sat glaring and sneering at each other over Dumbledore.

"Now now you two, there's no need to get hostile!" Dumbledore chuckled.

"He started it." Minerva sniffed.

Snape snorted but said nothing. He couldn't care less to be honest, he just wanted to be left alone.

Dinner went without further incident and Dumbledore bid them all a cautious but good night.

"Severus, the minute you get summoned, you must tell me so that I can get the order prepared." Dumbledore said quietly as he and Snape locked up the castle for the night.

"I know headmaster." Snape said quietly. He was very tired and just wanted to sleep.

"Good. Should it happen soon, Severus, remember this, if we do not get there in time, no-one will think the worse of you."

Snape stared at him. "What exactly are you implying?"

"Well, for marrying a student." Dumbledore elaborated. "Although I am most confident that it won't get that far." He assured the potions master quickly.

Snape scowled. "May I go to bed now headmaster?"

"Yes, of course." Dumbledore said.

Snape nodded and headed for his dungeon, tripping over Professor Flitwick as he went, pausing to yell at the tiny charms professor.

"Watch where you are going Flitwick!" Snape yelled.

"You were the one who trod on me, Severus!" Flitwick squeaked indignantly.

"Well you shouldn't be built so low to the ground! We can't bloody see you half the time!" Snape snapped before storming down the dungeon steps, leaving a very offended Flitwick to pick himself up.

Dumbledore sighed. It was a terrible business this marriage plan of Voldemort's. Severus was feeling the strain of it all, lashing out at the staff didn't help but Dumbledore understood why he was doing it.

Shaking his head, the headmaster made his way up to his chambers.

Up in Gryffindor tower, Hermione prepared for bed.

Lavender and Parvati were sitting up in bed gossiping.

Hermione ignored them and crawled into her warm bed, removing the heating pan that had been placed there and putting it by the fire.

"Hey Hermione." Lavender piped up "How are you and Draco getting along?"

"Fine thanks." Hermione answered blushing.

"I'll bet he's a great kisser!" Parvati cooed "What's he like?"

Hermione smiled. "He's…breathtaking."

Lavender and Parvati giggled.

"I thought so." Lavender declared, "Well, I had better get some sleep, I have a date tomorrow and I must look my best!"

"You have a date? Who with?" Parvati asked curiously.

"Blaise Zabini." Lavender replied casually.

"But he's a Slytherin! They're forbidden!" Parvati protested.

"Hey, if Hermione can snog Draco Malfoy, then I can have my own fun with Blaise!" Lavender reasoned.

Hermione blushed. "It wasn't intentional."

"What, the snog? Or the snog after that…or the snog after that snog?" Lavender cooed.

Hermione blushed even more. "I just meant that Draco and I didn't intentionally start liking each other."

"Ha! Liking each other, hark this one!" Lavender said to Parvati.

Parvati gave Hermione a sympathetic look.

"What's so unbelievable about that?" Hermione asked, offended.

"Are you blind?" Lavender said with a laugh "Draco doesn't just like you! That much is obvious!"

Hermione shifted uncomfortably and Parvati steered the conversation back to Lavender's date.

"So you're going out with a Slytherin?"

"Well, like I said, if she gets to snog a Slytherin, why can't I?" Lavender said snuggling down beneath her covers.

"She's got a point." Hermione reasoned with the gaping Parvati.

"Oh well why don't I just go for gold and snog Snape!" She huffed crossing her arms moodily.

Hermione blanched, looking disgusted. "Ew."

"That's taking it a bit far Pav! You aren't being serious are you?" Lavender said bolting upright in alarm.

"Don't be stupid! Of course I wasn't being serious!" Parvati snorted "Eww just think of it!"

"I know, that hair flopping in your face…gross!" Lavender said with a shudder.

"Can you imagine if he was married?" Parvati said scandalously "I mean, who would do that? And if he had children!"

Lavender gagged. "Yes, I can just picture it…little Snape's running around sneering and snarling at everyone."

The girls fell into peals of laughter at the image.

Hermione lay down, pulling the covers up to her chin. She didn't want to hear anymore, she didn't want to think about it.

It was 2am when Snape was awoken by a pain in his left arm.

"Damn it!" He hissed, rushing to his wardrobe and throwing on his robes, masterfully doing up the buttons with lighting quick speed. He quickly ran a comb through his black hair and dashed out of his chambers, bolting towards Dumbledore's chambers.

When he got there, he muttered the password and entered.

Dumbledore lay sleeping on his mahogany four poster bed, snuggled up with his pillow.

"Headmaster!" Snape whispered urgently.

Dumbledore snored on, blissfully unaware of Snape's presense.

"Headmaster!" Snape whispered a little louder, this time giving the old man a brief shake.

Still Dumbledore didn't awaken, he did however, begin to talk in his sleep.

"Minerva, give Severus his teddy bear back, or we shall never hear the end of it!" Dumbledore muttered.

Snape scowled and pinched the sleeping headmaster's nose.

After a moment, Dumbledore snorted through his mouth and coughing and spluttering, woke up.

"What in the…" Dumbledore said groggily as he sat up rubbing his eyes, and Snape came into focus.

"Why Severus, what is it? It's 2am!" Dumbledore said, his voice groggy with sleep.

"I've been summoned Headmaster!" Snape informed him urgently.

"Wait a moment won't you Severus!" Dumbledore said getting out of bed and going over to his mirror.

"Miss Granger's chamber!" The old man said clearly to the mirror.

Snape watched in mild fascination as the mirror's reflection rippled and Hermione's dorm came into focus.

Snape recognised Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil sleeping peacefully in their beds. Hermione's however, was empty.

"She's gone Severus!" Dumbledore said in despair. "I thought we'd have more time!"

"What of Draco?" Snape asked worriedly.

Dumbledore performed the same charm on the mirror, this time it showed Draco's dorm.

"He's gone too!" Dumbledore informed him. "They'll want to initiate him I expect."

"There was no sign of any struggle Headmaster!" Snape remarked "How could they have gotten inside the school to kidnap them?"

"Lucius Malfoy can enter the school seeing as he's a parent of a student. We must therefore assume he took Miss Granger as well as his son." Dumbledore answered.

"But how could he have done that without waking their dorm mates?" Snape questioned.

"That's for you to find out Severus, now, be off with you, and take care." Dumbledore said anxiously. "I'm going to alert the Order. We'll be as fast as we can."

Snape nodded and hurried out of the headmaster's chamber and ran through the castle until he came to the entrance hall and exiting from there.

He ran across the grounds and out of the school gates before apparating away with a loud crack.

A moment later, he arrived outside the castle where Voldemort had taken up residence and entered it with a feeling of apprehension.

Snape walked through the maze of corridors until he came to the ornately carved green doors of the great hall and passed through them.

"You rang m'lord?" Snape quipped, slipping into his role.

"Ah Severus, there you are, I was getting worried that you weren't going to come!" Voldemort said coming forward to greet Snape warmly.

"I do apologise for my tardiness my lord, I was detained by the old fool at the school, he was snivelling about Miss Granger going missing." Snape said in a bored tone.

"Ah yes, so he's noticed has he?" Voldemort chuckled "Didn't take him long to figure that out did it?"

Snape shook his head, smirking. "Where is the girl?"

"She's upstairs." Voldemort said smugly.

"And the others?" Snape enquired of the other deatheaters.

"They are dotted around doing stuff." Voldemort replied nonchalantly.

Snape looked around at the hall, seeing no change. Perhaps the wedding plans had been changed?

Voldemort sighed. "Oh you know I can't keep secrets from you Severus!." The dark lord said before clapping his hands.

Wormtail came scurrying out of some dark corner or another and bowed to Voldemort.

"Wormtail, it is time!" Voldemort said imperiously.

"Yes my lord!" Wormtail whined before turning to Snape and summoning a chair.

Snape watched in patient sneering as Wormtail climbed up onto the chair to bring himself up to Snape's height.

"Turn your back to him Severus." Voldemort instructed.

Snape swallowed hard, part of him wondering if this was the end for him, that Miss Granger had been right in suspecting a more elaborate plan to kill him for his disloyalty. Well, there was only one way to find out.

Snape slowly turned his back to Wormtail, who was licking his lips excitedly.

Suddenly, a piece of black velvet covered his eyes, and he gasped in surprise. He felt Wormtail tie the blindfold firmly and heard him scramble down from the chair and scurry off somewhere to his left.

Snape stood for a moment in confused and somewhat frightened silence before turning slowly on the spot, feeling the air around him with his hands.

"My lord?" he called uncertainly.

"I'm still here Severus." Voldemort's voice came from his right and Snape jumped, startled.

"My my, aren't you jumpy?" Voldemort chuckled, "You don't seem to like being blindfolded."

"No my lord, I don't." Snape replied truthfully.

"Not too long now Severus." Voldemort assured him in a coy voice. "It will all be over soon."

Snape didn't like this…he didn't like this at all. He had a horrible feeling something bad was about to happen to him.

Suddenly, there was sound, lots of it. Numerous footsteps, scraping of chairs and other things. It sounded as though something were being set up, or assembled. It was maddening not being able to see what was happening around him!

A few minutes later, the noise stopped, but Snape could sense that there were others around him.

"Severus, we thought you've more than deserved…" Voldemort said, untying Snape's blindfold. "This." He finished, whipping the blindfold away from Snape's eyes.

Blinking in the sudden light, Snape looked around.

The other deatheaters were all standing around wearing party hats and the hall had been decorated with streamers and ribbons. Tables of food had appeared and a large cauldron holding what looked like firewhiskey stood in the centre of the room.

"Welcome, to your bachelor party Severus!" Voldemort announced proudly.

"My what?" Snape gaped.

"Your bachelor party! Your last chance to have fun and be a party animal!" Voldemort explained grinning and punching Snape in the arm playfully.

Snape faked a grin too, though it looked more like a wince.

"Go, go and have fun!" Voldemort said pushing him into the crowd of deatheaters.

Lucius Malfoy grinned mischievously. "Come dear friend, we are going to have fun tonight, starting with a large whiskey!"

McNair came forward holding out a pint of firewhiskey to Snape, while downing one of his own.

Taking the glass from the whiskey guzzling fiend, Snape gazed around the room.

The deatheaters were already getting into full party swing, suddenly something caught his eye.

Draco Malfoy sat scowling in a corner. Snape made a beeline for him.

"Draco, are you alright?" Snape asked anxiously.

"Yes. Fine." Draco replied sarcastically. "I don't want to be here, I don't know where they took Hermione and my initiation is right after your appointed wedding! I'm doing great here Professor, couldn't ask for better!"

"Draco, don't lose heart!" Snape said beseechingly. "Try to look like you are having fun will you, you'll make them suspicious!"

"They are as dense as he is!" Draco snorted, nodding at Voldemort who was boogying to some weird song.

"This one's for Severus!" Voldemort declared.

Snape was too preoccupied to hear that announcement and continued his discussion with Draco who was also not listening.

"True, but we must-" Snape was cut off by a strange sound Voldemort was making.

"Oooheeeeeooooeeeeeeeeeeoooooaweeeeummmbummawhey!" Voldemort crooned.

"What is he doing?" Draco asked, wincing as the dark lord hit a high note.

He started again and this time, drums and sticks were added, sounding very primitive indeed as Snape and Draco watched, bewildered and disturbed expressions gracing their faces.

Suddenly the death eater's joined in with harmonies.

"Awheemaway Awheemaway"

"In the jungle the mighty jungle the lion sleeps tonight!" Voldemort sang in the same high pitch.

Snape and Draco stared in disbelief. Surely they were imagining it!  
Bellatrix sang high opera like notes.

The death eaters and Voldemort surrounded Snape and danced around him in a circle singing and playing their drums.

Draco was grabbed by his father in passing and was dragged into the dance.

This continued until Voldemort sang again, this time unnerving Snape as he caressed his face.

"Hush my darling, don't fear my darling the lion sleeps tonight." The dark lord crooned.

It was then that Snape realised what the 'Lion' was they were singing about. He could only assume it was Granger. She was in Gryffindor, the symbol of Gryffindor was a lion, Granger was sleeping upstairs somewhere…oh how imaginative. But quite why they thought he would fear the Granger girl was unknown to him unless he was wrong in his estimation of the song's meaning which was highly likely going by the confused state he was in being danced around, and randomly brushed by Bellatrix and Narcissa on his face and chest. If everyone would just stop dancing in a circle around him, he'd be able think straight.

The song thankfully ended, and Snape could think clearly again.  
Draco tore free from between his father and McNair and stormed scowling over to Snape.

"Oh look, Aunt Bella has a present for you!" Draco said sounding deeply disturbed.

Looking up, they saw Bellatrix coming towards them wearing…not very much, just enough to cover the essentials.

Snape groaned. "Brace yourself Draco, it's going to be long, disgusting night."

"This sucks!" Draco muttered to Snape as Bella drew closer, winking at Snape and suggestively displaying hips and breasts while the other death eaters cat called and wolfwhistled.

Just what was this woman planning to do? She had a look of a hunter stalking it's prey about her.

'Black Velvet' started up and Snape was treated to his first ever lap dance. Normally, he would have shoved her off and hexed her for daring to try such a thing, but he was in Voldemort's presence and so he could do nothing but sit with a stunned and rather humiliated expression on his face as Bella shmoozed all over him.

She finished with the music by planting a deep kiss on Snape's lips before sauntering away.

"Can you believe that?" Draco snorted, disgusted. He didn't know where to look. Seeing your aunty give your Potions Professor a lap dance wasn't exactly every boy's dream.

"No, I can't!" Snape replied, deeply disturbed.

"Professor, we have to find Hermione." Draco said urgently.

"Ha!" Snape barked a laugh. "Good luck, I have no idea where she is."

"But you can find out and get us up there!" Draco insisted. "Go and ask Voldemort if you can go and see her!"

"It won't work Draco." Snape said doubtfully. "And besides, I don't feel much like getting crucio'd."

"He's drunk!" Draco pointed out. "Maybe if he thought you were drunk too, he'd tell you! I know when my father is drunk, he lets me do all sorts of stuff I'm normally not allowed to do."

Snape sighed. "Well alright, but if I get hexed, I'm coming after you."

Draco jumped up as Snape stood up and feigned drunkenness, staggering towards the dark lord.  
Draco followed, hovering nearby.

Snape put a drunk smile on his face as he teetered up to Voldemort, who was swaying and waving his glass around.

"M'lord!" Snape slurred "I…I haffa question!"

Voldemort turned to Snape and mirrored his drunken smile.

"Sheverush!" Voldemort slurred putting an arm around Snape's shoulders. "What can I do fer you?"

"I was just wondering…hic…where Miz Granger is?" Snape said, swaying forward, almost over balancing himself and the dark lord.

"Shteady sheverush!" Voldemort cooed as he pointed at the marble floor, "If we fall down there, it will break our bottoms!"  
Snape merely pretended to hiccup again, regarding the floor with confusion.

"Mish Granger ish upshtairs!" Voldemort slurred, putting his forehead against Snape's. "Getting her beauty Shleep for tomorrow!"

"Where though?" Snape whined.

"Why do you want to know?" Voldemort asked, smirking as he pinched Snape's cheek.

Snape thought of the most disgusting reason he could think of.

"I want to…hic…have some fun with her if you know what I mean!" he slurred wiggling his eyebrows and nudging Voldemort with his elbow.

"Can't you wait til the morrow?" Voldemort chuckled.

Snape shook his head, frowning and pouting.

Voldemort laughed and slapped Snape on the back heartily. "Ah very well Sheverush, I'll tell you where she ish!"

Snape inclined his ear as Voldemort slurred the directions into his ear.

"Now be gentle sheverush, she's inex….inexshpe…she's never done it before!" the dark lord said in mock stern.

Snape grinned drunkenly before staggering off, grabbing Draco and wrapping him in his robes as he went.

Draco staggered out with him until the doors of the great hall shut behind them.

Snape let Draco out of his robes and they ran up to the fourth floor and entered the room five doors along as directed by Voldemort.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Sorry this took so long in coming, I had written myself intoa corner and then I almost lost interest, but here it is...I'm not happy with it but it's something at least. Enjoy.**

Hermione was to be found curled up in front of the fire. She jumped when they entered the room, turning to see who had come in.

"Draco!" She cried happily, getting up and running to him.

Draco enveloped her in a hug and kissed her all over her face.

Snape rolled his eyes.

"What's going on down there?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"They have thrown me a bachelor party." Snape replied flatly.

Hermione gaped. "But that means…"

"We are to be wed tomorrow." Snape finished for her, shuddering.

"Merlin! I hope the order get here before then!" Hermione bleated.

Draco nodded.

"When is your initiation?" Hermione asked him sympathetically. She and Snape weren't the only ones to have to go through something traumatic.

"Right after your wedding." Draco replied stiffly.

"Have you been visited?" Snape asked, looking around the room to see a tray of untouched food on the bed.

"Yes," Hermione said reproachfully. "By Narcissa Malfoy. She was told to bring food to me and help me to bathe and prepare for tomorrow, she also brought my wedding gown, and can you believe that it's white?." She demanded of the two men.

Snape and Draco shook their heads.

Hermione continued. "Wouldn't black be more appropriate? I told her to get lost and stuff the gown up her…well you get the point, and that there was no way in hell I was going to marry my potions professor because it was just wrong on so many levels!"

Draco laughed. "I can just imagine her face when you said all that."

"She was furious!" Hermione confirmed. "She left saying that the bathroom was right through that door and that I was to be a good little mudblood and bathe, that I owed Professor Snape that much at least."

Snape snorted.

"Suffice to say, I haven't eaten and I haven't bathed." Hermione finished with a smirk.

"You realize, Miss Granger that they will only use force now. They gave you the opportunity to do it willingly, and you refused." Snape informed her nonchalantly.

"I'd like to see them try." Hermione huffed.

Snape shook his head in a 'don't say I didn't warn you' manner.

"Do you know how you were kidnapped Miss Granger?" he asked, changing the subject.

Hermione shook her head. "No, the last thing I remember is going to bed at Hogwarts…and waking up here."

"Draco?" Snape asked.

"Same here Professor. I woke up here too, though I know it was my father, because I woke up in his rooms here." Draco replied, scowling.

"I suppose I'll have to find out from the dark lord as to how they succeeded in spiriting you away from Hogwarts." Snape said sighing longsufferingly.

They heard a noise outside in the corridor and exchanged frantic looks.

"Quickly, Miss Granger, get on the bed!" Snape hissed tearing off his outer robe.

"What? Why?" Hermione hissed back.

"They think I'm up here ravishing you!" Snape hissed. "Draco, hide for Merlin's sake!"

Draco nodded and ran to the cupboard, slipping inside.

"Hell no! There's no way I'm-" Hermione began firmly but Snape merely grabbed her and tossed her on the bed, and jumped on with her, undoing some of the buttons on his frock coat before reaching over and messing up Hermione's hair.

Hermione glared at him. "It's going to take forever to sort out the tangles you've just blessed me with!"

"Oh shut up and act ravished." He hissed impatiently, hearing footsteps approach the door. Quickly, he reached over and tore Hermione's night dress, revealing her shoulders and almost exposing her.

She let out an outraged squeal. "That was my grandmothers nightdress!" She hissed angrily.  
"I'll fix it later!" Snape hissed angrily.

The door handle moved and in one fluid movement, Snape threw himself on top of Hermione grabbing her wrists and pinning them to the bed by her head and pretended to be fighting to overpower her.

Hermione instantly began kicking and squealing.

The person on the other side of the door seemed to be having trouble getting in.

Snape remembered there was an incantation needed to open it and strained his ears to hear if the person knew it, but he could hear nothing but Hermione's muffled cries and whimpers.

"Shhh!" he hissed "Listen."

She froze beneath him and they listened. There was the sound of a voice muttering an incantation.

Snape growled in frustration and went back to his previous actions, prompting Hermione to do the same.

The door opened and Voldemort staggered in. "Ah Sheverush!" he cooed. "How goesh it?"

"I'm having a bit of trouble my lord!" Snape bleated.

"She'sh quite the fighter eh Sheverush? Thatsh why I picked her for you!" Voldemort mused, watching Hermione thrash around. "I think we might need to ushe Imperio on her tomorrow!"

Hermione froze, staring up at Snape in terror.

Snape masked his response well. "Perhaps I can tame her by then." He said darkly, smirking.

Voldemort laughed. "You'll do well, Profeshor! Teach her shumthing thatsh not in a shchool book!"

Snape laughed deeply, smirking. "Well, She is a fast learner."

"I'll leave you to it, thish party ish getting boring without me and the cauldron of whishkey ish only half gone!" the dark lord said staggering out of the door and closing it soundly behind him.

As soon as he was gone, Snape and Hermione got off of the bed and began to panic.

"Imperio! They wouldn't dare!" Hermione said wringing her hands.

"You won't be…not if you just comply." He told her.

"This is useless!" Hermione said deafeatedly "If I get imperio'd there's no way I can stall! We'll be married and I'll just have to kill myself."

"Don't say that!" Draco implored enveloping her in a tender embrace. "Don't ever say that! We'll get out of this, remember the plan!"

"The Order will come Miss Granger, this isn't over yet." Snape offered. "Don't give up."

Hermione offered them a weak smile.

"Hey, where's all that Gryffindor fight I've heard boasted about so much?" Draco said. "This is a bunch of Slytherins…are you going to let them push you around and make you marry your Professor?"

Snape caught onto what Draco was trying to do and joined in.

"Gryffindor fight?" he sneered "What fight? They couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag!"

Hermione's head snapped up to look at him indignantly.

Draco laughed at Snape's remark. "The only fight they have is over who gets to sit furthest from you in Potions!"

"Stop that!" Hermione chided angrily. "Gryffindor is the best house ever! You Slytherin's SUCK! YOU HEAR ME? SUCK!"

Snape and Draco exchanged triumphant glances.

Hermione glared. "You did that on purpose didn't you?" She said sounding very put out.

But the plan had worked, and Hermione had her fight re-ignited.

"Isn't there a way we can contact Dumbledore?" She demanded.

"No, not from here…unless Voldemort has neglected his fireplaces…" Snape said thoughtfully.

"He wouldn't be that stupid!" Draco snorted.

Snape and Hermione looked at him, heads on one side, mouths pursed and hands on hips.

"We've already established that he is, Draco." Hermione said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"The only problem is we don't have the powder required to make such an attempt." Snape said, frowning.

"Don't be too sure, Professor!" Hermione said coyly, reaching into her nightdress and bringing out a small packet of fine green powder.

Draco and Snape stared at her in disbelief.

"Where were you keeping that?" Draco asked.

"In my bra." Hermione said beaming. "Never know when you might need it, right?" she added holding out the powder to Snape who took it, still looking surprised.

"Never underestimate me." Hermione said smugly.

"What else are you hiding in there?" Draco asked, peering down her nightdress.

Hermione covered her breasts and swatted Draco away.

"None of your business." She said protectively.

Draco shook his head in wonder as he joined Snape at the fireplace. "Those Gryffindor's are sneakier than us Slytherins are!"

Snape snorted. "That remains to be seen!"

"I don't see you carrying around fire powder in your bra!" Draco pointed out.

"Perhaps that's because I don't wear such a garment, being a male and such." Snape said mockingly.

"You know what I mean!" Draco said impatiently.

Snape grunted and took out his wand.

"Inscendio!" he commanded. Fire shot from his wand and landed in the fireplace, starting a fire.

He then took the powder and took a pinch, throwing it in and putting his head into the flames as soon as they turned green.

"Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts." He said clearly.

There was a flash and Snape saw Dumbledore's office.

"Headmaster?" He called.

There was no reply.

"Headmaster?" Snape called a little louder.

"Severus?" The old man's voice said in disbelief and he appeared by the fire, kneeling down to speak. "Can it be you? How are you managing this?"

"Miss Granger had some fire powder and I determined that the fires had not been guarded." Snape answered, "I don't have terribly long, but I'll brief you on what has happened so far. They threw me a bachelour party Headmaster."

"A bachelor party? Why that can only mean that-"

"Miss Granger and I will be wed tomorrow." Snape finished for him, "And Draco is to be initiated straight after, Albus, the Order must get here in time!"

"I thought we'd have more time." Dumbledore said sounding troubled.

"Where are the Order?" Snape asked urgently "They have to get here before it all goes to hell in a handbasket!"

"They are getting prepared, Severus. How are Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy?" Dumbledore replied.

"They are fine so far, Mr Malfoy and I managed to sneak away from the party to find her. Voldemort was quite forthcoming with the information of her whereabouts under the influence of firewhiskey." Snape replied.

"Indeed. Well done Severus, now, rest assured that we will get there in time, we are preparing to leave as we speak."

"Get here Albus, or all is lost." Snape said urgently. "I cannot stress enough to you the importance of your arriving in time to prevent this terrible event!"

"I understand Severus, you are anxious. Trust us, won't you?" Dumbledore said comfortingly "This will all work out fine, you'll see."

Snape looked doubtful. "Very well, I must go, Voldemort will be wondering where I am."

Dumbledore nodded. "Take care Severus, we'll see you as soon as we get there."

Snape bid goodbye and pulled his head out of the fireplace.

"What's happening?" Hermione asked anxiously "Have the Order left yet?"

"They are preparing to leave as we speak, but considering that it's…" Snape checked the clock in the corner, "5am already, that doesn't give them much time…they still have to find us and battle their way through to the hall."

Hermione looked fretful and burst into tears.

Draco ran to her and held her. "It'll be fine Hermione, you'll see!" He said encouragingly "When has Dumbledore ever let anyone down?"

"Never." Hermione sniffled.

"Well there you go, have a little faith!" Draco said offering her a smile.

She smiled weakly back.

"Draco, we must leave. They'll be here soon to tend to Miss Granger, and myself if I'm not very much mistaken." Snape said urgently.

Draco reluctantly let go of Hermione and moved toward the door with Snape.

"Good luck." She whispered.

Draco nodded and left the room with Snape, leaving Hermione to herself.

Down in the great hall, the party was winding down and some of the death eaters had passed out on the floor.

Snape located Voldemort and headed right toward him.

"Ah you found my son!" Lucius Malfoy said smiling. "Where was he?"

"Bathroom," Snape replied distractedly "Too much whiskey."

Lucius grinned. "You'll learn to hold it my boy." He told Draco who feigned illness.

"I want to go and lie down, father." He said weakly.

"And so you shall, we must get at least a few hours of sleep before the big event." Lucius said jovially, sweeping an arm around Draco's shoulders. "Goodnight Severus."

"Goodnight." Snape said before continuing on his way to Voldemort.

"Sheverush!" the dark lord slurred joyfully upon seeing him "Did you shucceed in your tashk?"  
"I decided not to my lord." Snape said somberly, then grinned "Why not wait until the ceremony? It will have more effect, will it not, to take her virtue in front of all of our group?"

Voldemort laughed cruelly. "Oh I do love the way your foul little mind worksh Sheverush!"

"Thank you my lord, now, I must away to rest, I need my energy." Snape said bowing low.

"Of coursh, of coursh! Off you go. Your shleeping arangementsh have changed for thish evening."

"They have?" Snape enquired.

"Yesh, you're in the room next to Miss Granger'sh!" Voldemort said, his eyes glinting.

Snape didn't bother to ask why. Instead he bowed again before turning and heading to bed.

Hermione paced her room, worrying about what was to come. She knew the Order were coming, but that didn't soothe her fears that they wouldn't get there in time.

She'd been pacing since Draco and Snape had left and that had been an hour ago. She looked out of the window into the darkness.

Suddenly, the door flew open and Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix strolled in.

"Miss Granger, your wedding will take place at 1pm today. I suggest you get some sleep, we will be returning to get you ready at around 10am." Narcissa said imperiously before turning and sashaying out of the door, followed by Bellatrix.

Hermione glared at the two women as they left, locking the door behind them.

In spite of it all, she yawned. She was exhausted. She hadn't eaten, or slept since she arrived, and she felt the sleepiness engulf her.

She went over to the bed and got beneath the covers, lying her head down on the pillow.

Sleep came swiftly and carried her back to a place she was safe and happy, dreaming of Hogwarts, Harry, Ron and best of all, Draco.

What felt like a minute later, she was awoken by a loud sound in her room. Her eyes flew open and she sat up.

Blinking blearily in the light, she recognised Narcissa and Bellatrix bustling about the room.

Bellatrix was laying out a book on the dressing table and various hair accessories. Narcissa was in the adjoining bathroom running a bath.

"Wakey wakey mudblood!" Bellatrix said disdainfully "Get up."

Hermione glared. "Sod off."

"Sorry, no can do." Bellatrix sneered "Get up, I said." She barked yanking Hermione up by the upper arm.

"Get off me!" Hermione hissed, yanking her arm free.

"Get in the bath, Miss Granger!" Narcissa said firmly, pointing at the now full bathtub.

Hermione jutted out her chin defiantly.

"Don't make us use imperio." Bella warned, taking out her wand.

"Oh for Hell's sake!" Narcissa said irritably and waved her wand.

Hermione's nightdress disappeared and Hermione shrieked, covering herself.

"You have nothing we haven't seen before." Narcissa said firmly, coming over and grabbing Hermione by the arm.

Bellatrix took hold of her other arm and they dragged her bodily over to the bathroom before tossing her unceremoniously into the rose scented bubble filled bath.

Hermione thrashed around trying to get out, but Bellatrix merely took her wand and put her in a full body bind and so she had no choice but to sit there and be scrubbed by the magically directed sponge and lavender soap.

"Now lets do something with that hair." Narcissa said rolling up her sleeves as though she was preparing for battle.

Hermione smirked. Let her try. Just let her try and tame her hair.

"How about some detangling shampoo?" Narcissa asked her sister thoughtfully.

"It's not going to work." Hermione said in a sing-song voice.

"You keep out of this mudblood!" Bellatrix chided.

An hour later, after charming shampoos and conditioners a-plenty to do battle with Hermione's hair, Narcissa resigned.

"Bella, maybe you should have a go." Her sister told her, sitting down in exhaustion.

"What this calls for, is a hands on approach." Bellatrix said menacingly, rolling up her sleeves.

She grabbed a bottle of detangling shampoo and squirted it all over Hermione's unruly hair and scrubbed vigorously before rinsing it with water. She then took the conditioner to match and grabbed a comb.

Applying the conditioner to Hermione's hair, Bellatrix painstakingly dragged the comb through Hermione's tangled and knotted hair, yanking hard when she reached a tug.

Hermione yelled and screamed in pain, but Bellatrix was successful and after half an hour of combing, had managed to detangle Hermione's hair.

Hermione was still smirking though. She knew that only quarter of the battle with her hair had been won. There was still the drying, smoothing and styling to be done.

They moved her to the bedroom again, Hermione wrapped up in a bathrobe, and sat her down in the chair at the dressing table.

"I am so glad that Draco has manageable hair." Narcissa sighed as she combed Hermione's hair to keep out the tangle as she sectioned it off. "I never had to do his hair manually."

Curious about how Draco always had such perfect hair, Hermione ventured to ask a question.

"How does Draco keep his hair so soft and silky?"

Narcissa smirked. "Good breeding my dear, and some well made potion courteous of Severus Snape. Perhaps when you are married, he might brew something that can tame your hair just as well!"

"You know Narcissa, I thought I saw a few split ends in Lucius's hair the other day." Bellatrix revealed to her sister.

Narcissa gasped. "No." She said in dread.

"Yes." Bellatrix affirmed.

"Doesn't surprise me." Hermione snorted. "Mr Malfoy does a lot of running around and flipping his hair about like a ponce."

Bellatrix rapped a brush over Hermione's head sharply. "You are to be silent you little toad!"

"Bella, dear." Narcissa said soothingly "We must start treating Miss Granger with at least some respect, after all, she is marrying Severus."

"Poor thing, you can't help but feel slightly sorry for her can you?" Bella said sighing.

Hermione raised a questioning and confused eyebrow. Now they were feeling sorry for her?

"But you know, it's their child I'm going to really feel sorry for." Bellatrix went on. "Think about it, with his greasy hair and big nose and this thing's birds nest she calls hair, it's going to have tangled and knotted black greasy hair."

Narcissa shuddered. "Yes, it's possible. You know, I don't think our lord has thought this match all the way through."

"He's not making them marry because it will be a good match, Narcissa, he's doing it for their abilities. Severus has a knack for potion making and is intelligent and cunning, the mudblood is highly intelligent and…well that's all the qualities I can see, but you get the point." Bellatrix said sneering.

"Yes, well he didn't think about the physical aspect did he?" Narcissa said quietly, charming rollers to roll themselves in Hermione's hair.

Within minutes, her hair was completely up in rollers and she felt ridiculous.

She scowled at her reflection. All of this was ridiculous. Them getting her all prettied up to marry Snape. In her opinion, it was pointless. He wasn't going to care how she looked, because they both knew that this marriage just wasn't going to take place, the Order would get there in a few hours and all would be well. Not only that, but if she were to marry Snape, she wouldn't put any effort into her appearance because she frankly didn't care what he thought of her other than her grades.

Suddenly, there was a loud yelp from the room next door, closely followed by someone shouting,

"Hold him down Avery…Severus, its just shampoo, it's not going to kill y… AAAARGH! for the love of Merlin Severus!"

Narcissa and Bellatrix exchanged amused glances.

"That sound's like Lucius." Narcissa mused, flipping through a book of make-up spells.

"Severus is giving him some trouble it sounds like. I'm going to go see what they are up to." Bellatrix said mischievously before going out of the room.

"GET HER OUT OF HERE!" the unmistakable roar of Professor Snape came through the walls, this was followed by the sound of shattering glass.

Bellatrix returned a few seconds later looking amused. "Well, Severus isn't in a good mood at all."

"Oh? Why not?" Narcissa asked absently as she took her wand and aimed it at a nervous Hermione's face.

"Lucius and Avery are washing his hair with some seriously questionably coloured shampoo and Severus doesn't seem to like it too much! He threw a bottle of bubble bath at me." Bellatrix replied with a laugh.

There was the sound of a struggle again.

"FOR MERLIN'S SAKE, SEVERUS, HOLD STILL! I Almost had it in his hair there! Avery, you aren't helping much you know! HOLD HIM DOWN!"

"He's really slippery when he's all soapy and wet you know!" Avery's voice complained "My robes are soaked!"

Hermione smirked. Hopefully, Snape could keep up this struggle all day, thus preventing the wedding.

Narcissa shook her head and turned her attention to the spell for Hermione's make-up.

"Let's try this look." She mused before muttering the incantation.

Hermione watched her reflection in the mirror as rather heavy make-up appeared on her face. She leaned forward to peer at herself.

"I look like something out of a bad muggle horror movie." She elaborated.

"It's appalling, I know." Narcissa agreed, looking through the book again.

There was another roar from the next room and Narcissa tutted.  
"Bella, I can't concentrate with all that yelling. Go and tell them to keep it down."

Bellatrix went into the room where Snape was being prepared.

She found them right where she'd left them, in the bathroom, holding Snape down in the tub, only this time, Lucius had succeeded with the shampoo and was now working it into a lather into a sulking, body-binded Snape's hair.

"Narcissa says to tell you to keep the noise down. It's distracting her from doing the mudblood's make-up." Bella told them casually.

"It's not our fault that bathing Severus is like trying to bathe a cat! I'll bet you and Narcissa had a real easy time getting the mudblood to bathe!" Lucius remarked with a sneer.

"Au Contraire!" Bella replied, sneering back. "She put up quite a fight, but we managed it without making noise courtesy of the full body bind curse. It sounds like you are murdering him in here!"

"Here, take over this for me, I need to speak with Narcissa." Lucius said releasing Snape's hair and stepping back.

Bella stepped forward with a smirk. "you know, Severus, I've always longed to give your hair a good scrub!"

Snape glared at her icily, warning her not to dare to touch him.

But dare she did, and she began to scrub his hair vigorously cackling madly.

Lucius returned a minute later to find Bellatrix looking quite pleased with herself, Avery sliding down the wall in laughter and Snape sitting in the bath with a livid expression on his face.

"Don't you think that's such a great look for him?" Bella said with a laugh.

Lucius regarded Snape's lathered Mohawk with a shake of his head. "This is all very amusing, but we are running behind schedule! Miss Granger has her make-up done, and Narcissa is starting on her hair! We barely have Severus bathed!"

"Oh don't be such a grouch!" Bella snorted before leaving the men to it and going back to Narcissa.

"Bella, what should we do with her hair?" Narcissa asked staring at Hermione's reflection.

"How should I know? You're the beauty expert!" Bella replied.

Narcissa sighed as she unrolled Hermione's hair from the rollers.

"I know what we can do." She said decidedly holding her wand over Hermione's head.

She muttered a spell and Hermione's now elegantly curled hair arranged itself into a nice, two sides up the rest down style complete with a peach rose to secure it all.

Hermione couldn't deny that she looked rather good. And she couldn't deny that Narcissa had successfully tamed and styled her unruly hair.

"There now, that wasn't so bad was it?" Bellatrix cooed sarcastically.

"Now lets get you dressed." Narcissa said firmly, grabbing Hermione by the upper arm and yanking her to her feet.

"Shan't." Hermione said scowling.

"Oh no you will," Bellatrix said, her eyes glinting darkly "If you want to live that is."

"Perhaps death is welcomed compared to marrying Snape!" Hermione snapped.

"I quite agree with you mudblood, but as it is, the Dark Lord wants you wed to our dear Severus! So stop being such a party pooper and get the damn dress on!"

But Hermione had opened the floodgates with regards to her protests and ranted on.

"I mean, he's two times my age! Maybe more, I don't even know how old the git is! Not to mention the fact that he's my Professor! What will people at School say when I come back from being kidnapped and find that I'm married to Professor Snape, the greasy git? It's just not going to happen I tell you, there's no way I'm allowing it! Hell will freeze over first!" She ranted, her voice getting higher and louder as she went on and ended in a strangled shriek.

Narcissa and Bella waited patiently for her to finish her random spaz before simultaneously pointing at the white ball gown style wedding dress hanging on the door of the closet.

"Get it on!" they said flatly.

"NO!" Hermione screamed, going red in the face. "NEVER!"

"Don't make us force you Miss Granger." Narcissa said quietly. "I will have Crabbe or Goyle come and sit on you!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Hermione hissed.

"Wouldn't I?" Narcissa said coyly.

A glaring contest started between the three women until Hermione looked away when there was a knock at the door.

"Narcissa, dear." Lucius said coming into the room and glancing with disdain at Hermione "Severus will require some of your…ah…clarifying potion."

"What on earth for?" Narcissa asked in surprise as she accio'd her bag of products and rummaged around in it for the potion.

"It seems that the soap we used did not agree with Severus's skin…he's all red and blotchy and he's complaining that he feels as though someone's set him on fire." Lucius said sheepishly.

Hermione snorted a laugh. "Take some pictures will you? It's the only enjoyment I'll get out of this horrid affair!"

"I'll do no such thing!" Lucius said sneering. "Severus is almost ready, we just have to take care of this little problem and it'll be time for you to be married."

Narcissa handed Lucius the potion he had requested and sent him on his way.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Okay, here's another chappie. It's not over yet though guys! I thought I was near the end, but I'm not :) So anyway, enjoy this chappie. The next chapter will have some serious romantic stuff between Draco and Hermione, so watch this space!**

"Right, this has to be it this time!" Tonks said in exasperation as they looked up at the dingy looking castle above them.

Remus checked the map. "Severus told Dumbledore that it was around here somewhere, so this must be it!"

"That's what you said about the last three castles we invaded. The Earl of Norfolk was not very happy to have us rushing in there waving sticks around like loonies and interrupting his morning tea!" Tonks said moodily "I'll never live it down!"

"Just be grateful that the other two castles were uninhabited." Remus told her.

"Whatever." Tonks said dismissivly.

"Will you two stop bickering?" Moody said irritably from behind. "Is this the place or not Remus?"  
"I believe it is." Remus said folding the map up and looking up at the dark and imposing castle.

"Well, then lets get to it!" Tonks said decisively, rolling up her sleeves.

"How do we get in exactly?" Molly asked curiously. "I don't see any way in!"

"Damn!" Arthur hissed "We should have known he would have it sealed up!"

"There must be some way in, how else would all the death eaters get in and out?" Tonks pondered.

The order members looked up at the castle thoughtfully. This was going to be tougher than they thought.

"Remus, if this is not the place, I'm going to rip you a new one!" Tonks said darkly.

Meanwhile, Lucius entered the room Snape was in and found the irate potions Master right where he'd left him. Tied to a chair in his green bathrobe.

Snape glared at Lucius as he approached with the potion.

"Leave me be, I think you've done enough damage today!" Snape spat at the elder Malfoy.

"Now Severus, this is to help with your…ah…complexion problem!" Lucius said encouragingly.

"You mean the complexion problem YOU caused? My face was fine before you soaped it all up!" Snape hissed violently.

"Well, what do you use if not soap when washing?" Lucius asked coyly.

"Don't question my personal care! I'll have you know that I am allergic to soap! I use a wash instead. It's more of a potion concoction I came up with." Snape snapped. "Not that it's any of your business!"

"Well, I was just curious…now, lets get this potion applied and we'll-" Lucius was cut off when Snape made a sudden break for freedom. It was truly a weak break for freedom, as he was tied to the chair he was sitting in and so, could only hop the chair toward the door frantically.

Lucius sighed. "Severus, you know very well you can't escape. Honestly, you are giving me the impression that you don't want to marry Miss Granger!"

Snape stopped and glared at the blonde man.

"There, see? Even you know that!" Lucius said smirking and moving quickly towards Snape with the potion in hand.

"Avery, come and hold his head still will you?" the elder Malfoy drawled as he applied the potion to a cloth.

Avery stepped forward and grabbed Snape's head between his hands, holding him firmly in place.

"Is this really necessary?" Snape drawled with disdain, his black eyes watching Lucius closely with the potion.

"If you had sat still in the bath instead of thrashing around like a fish out of water, I wouldn't be so suspicious that you would do the same now." Lucius replied, reaching for Snape's face with the potion soaked cloth.

Snape glared darkly as Lucius applied the potion. The effect was instantaneous and Snape let out an obvious relieved sigh.

Lucius smirked. "Better is it?"

"Shut up and do the rest. My face feels like it's been plunged into a cauldron full of lava and it's entirely your fault!" Snape snapped.

Lucius cleared up the rest of the blotches on Snape's face and then took out a comb.

"What are you doing?" Snape asked warily, eyeing the comb.

"Combing your hair…Avery messed it up!" Lucius said incredulously. "Ever used one of these?" he asked snidely, holding up the tortoiseshell comb.

"Of course I have you imbecile!" Snape snapped irritably "Every day…sometimes several times a day!"

"Alright then, shut up and let me straighten your hair up!" Lucius said patiently.

Snape scowled as Lucius combed his raven hair into place. When he was done, it was time to dress Snape. (A/N: How much fun would that be? I mean, I'd dress him up in Bermuda shorts and flip flops just to make him mad!)

"Alright Severus, get into your wedding robes!" Lucius said releasing Snape's tied hands and gesturing at Avery who was holding up the black velvet cape in one hand and the black velvet robes in the other.

Snape had to admit that Voldemort knew his taste in clothing. All black of course and spared no expense! The black velvet was exquisite.

Snape stood up and grudgingly took the robes. "Give me my wand."

"No, not until you are married." Lucius replied sternly.

"I wish to dress, I need my wand!" Snape said forcefully.

"I said no!" Lucius replied, matching Snape's tone. "Get dressed!"  
Snape cursed and climbed onto the four-poster bed, shutting all of the curtains violently to give himself some privacy and sending up a dust cloud that sailed out of the open window and caused poor visibility for the unfortunate muggle drivers on the road nearby.

A few minutes later, Lucius huffed with impatience.

"What is taking you so long Severus?"

"Well," Snape said from behind the curtains, "For one, I don't have my wand, if I did I'd be ready by now, and for another, I have a lot of buttons on my robes!"

"Oh for frick's sake!" Lucius hissed and yanked the curtain aside, wand out and waved it at Snape, causing all of his buttons to come undone simultaneously.

Snape glared at him as his trousers fell to his knees before reaching forward and yanking the curtain closed again.

Meanwhile, in the room next door, Hermione was in exactly the same place in her own bed, struggling with the wedding dress that Narcissa had brought.

"This is a hideous dress!" She remarked, her voice muffled by the dress and heavy curtains of the bed. It wasn't a hideous dress at all, in fact, Hermione loved it, but loathed it at the same time because of its use.

"Stop complaining and get it on!" Bellatrix snapped.

"I'm trying!" Hermione snapped back.

A few moments passed with the sounds of Hermione struggling with the dress and then she spoke again. "I'm stuck."

"What?" Narcissa asked sharply.  
"I'm stuck! I can't get the dress past my shoulders!" Hermione replied irritably.  
"Let me see." Narcissa said irritably, yanking back the curtain.

Hermione let out a squeal as she was exposed to the room with her head hidden by the dress and her arms stretched straight above her head and her underwear on show.

"Narcissa, don't we have some bridal undergarments for her? She can't go to her marriage bed with those!" Bellatrix said in disdain as she pointed at Hermione's delicate flower patterned underwear.

Narcissa thought for a moment before waving her wand. A white lace style corset appeared on Hermione along with matching suspenders and garter and white tights.

Then Narcissa set about yanking the dress onto Hermione.

"OW!" Hermione squawked in protest "That hurts! It's not going to fit!"

"It does fit!" Narcissa grunted, pulling on the dress. "I measured you myself last night!"

"I think I see what the problem is." Bellatrix stated casually.

"What?" Narcissa demanded.

"The buttons are done up!" her sister replied.

Sure enough, the buttons on the dress were fastened, making it impossible to get into the dress.

"You did that on purpose you little-" Narcissa snarled.  
"Can't prove it though." Hermione smirked from within the dress.

With one sweep of her wand, the buttons came undone and the dress slid gracefully over Hermione's head and another wave saw the buttons fastened again.  
"Sweet Tom, look what you've done to your hair!" Narcissa tutted, waving her wand to set Hermione's hair to rights again.

"There, now you are almost ready!" Said Narcissa.

"What's missing?" Bellatrix asked.

"Jewelry and perfume!" Narcissa replied, pulling out a long black box and a perfume vial.

She pulled a necklace out of the black box that was so stunning, Hermione gasped at the sight of it.

It was emerald and diamond with a large glittering emerald surrounded by diamonds at the centre and when Narcissa put it on her, the centre stone rested just above Hermione's pushed up breasts.

Narcissa then grabbed a bottle of perfume and Hermione was engulfed with the musk/floral mix.

"That's a really odd smelling perfume!" She remarked warily "What is it?"

"It's perfume, designed to turn Severus on." Bella smirked.

"Bella, you aren't helping!" Narcissa said as Hermione tried frantically to rub the perfume off with the towel that had held her hair.

"It's just perfume, nothing more." Narcissa told Hermione firmly turning her around sharply to face the mirror.

She caught her reflection in the mirror and had to admit that she looked rather fetching, her moment of self admiration vanished when she remembered who this was all for and her stomach lurched at the thought.  
Eww. Snape.

"Bella, can you go and fetch Draco for me? I would like his opinion on Miss Granger. He and Severus are quite close and Draco would know Severus's tastes." Narcissa said quietly.

Bellatrix nodded and left the room.

Hermione's heart leapt. Draco was coming?

Bella found Draco in his fathers room looking depressed.

He looked up sharply when she entered.

"Oh, it's you." Draco said unkindly.  
"Don't take that tone with me boy. Your mother wants your opinion on the mudblood's appearance. Wants to know if it will please Severus." Bella replied.

Draco almost didn't want to see Hermione all dressed up to marry someone else, but his aunt gave him little choice as he was grabbed by his upper arm and dragged from the room and up to Hermione's room, then tossed unceremoniously in.

"Mother!" Draco grunted as he landed on the floor unceremoniously at Hermione's feet.  
"Honestly Draco, what sort of entrance was that?" Narcissa sniffed indignantly as she put a green satin sash over Hermione's head and over one of her shoulders to sit diagonally across her torso.

"The sort of entrance one usually assumes when one is tossed into a room by aunt Bella!" Draco replied.

"Are you ready for your initiation?" Narcissa asked.  
"No. I'm not doing it Mother." Draco said stiffly.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at her son. "Don't start this again Draco, we both know that your father wishes it to be so, and the dark lord desires your loyalty."  
"Well too bad, I'm not going through with it!" Draco snapped.

Narcissa waved his protests away and turned to Hermione. "Draco, tell me what you think of Miss Granger."

Draco raised his eyes slowly up Hermione's form as he got to his feet.

"She looks…she's…" Draco croaked weakly "She looks absolutely stunning."

Hermione blushed and looked away before her eyes shifted back to him and she smiled shyly at him.

He smiled back.

"Draco it's rude to stare dear." Narcissa said snapping her fingers in front of Draco's eyes.

"Sorry mother." Draco muttered.

"Indeed. Now, go next door to your father and see how Severus is doing and then come back and let us know if he's ready." His mother instructed pulling what looked like glass slippers out of a box she'd accio'd.

Draco cast one last look of longing at Hermione, pausing at the door.

"I love you." He mouthed.

Hermione gasped. Had he just mouthed what she thought he had mouthed? But he was gone before she could respond.

Draco went into the room next door and saw his father fussing with the cape on Snape's robes.

The three men turned when he entered.

"Mother sent me to see if Professor Snape was ready yet." Draco said stiffly.

"Almost, just a few finishing touches left to do." Lucius replied spraying a mist of cologne on Snape.

Snape choked at the sudden onslaught of musky scented cologne, his eyes watering.

"Merlin Lucius!" he gasped between coughs "Did you have to use the whole bottle?"

"What do you think Draco, will he do?" Avery asked.

Draco reluctantly looked at Snape. "You look very dashing indeed Professor Snape." He said dolefully. "Nice touch of Slytherin there." He added, pointing at the green satin sash that adorned Snape's waist and the green trim around his cape.

Snape didn't like this any more than Draco did and their eyes locked for a moment, expressing with looks what they could not say aloud.

"Thank you Draco." Snape muttered, sounding very depressed.

"Draco!" Lucius chided suddenly "Why aren't you dressed for the occasion? You have a wedding to attend and your own initiation today!"

"Father, I don't even know if I'll bother to go to the wedding." Draco said coldly.

"You have no choice. Our lord has made you the best man!" Lucius said snidely.

Draco glared. As if it wasn't bad enough that the girl he loved was marrying Snape, he had to be Snape's best man too?

"Fine. I'll go dress." He said through clenched teeth.  
"No need, here." Lucius said irritably waving his wand.

Draco's previous black school robes transfigured into elegant dress robes, complete with black cape and green waist sash.

"There, now you at least Match Severus in some way." Lucius observed. "I do hope Narcissa remembered to add a touch of green to Miss Granger. It would be just frightful if she forgot!" He fretted.

Snape snorted. Lucius sounded so gay sometimes.

"Well lets head on down, it's time." Lucius said grabbing Snape's arm and the scruff of Draco's neck and frogmarched both men out of the door with Avery in tow.

"The men have left." Bellatrix announced closing the door.

"There, you are ready." Narcissa said sounding relieved as she placed the tiara and veil on Hermione's head.

Bellatrix tossed a bouquet of green coloured roses at Hermione who caught them out of reflex action.

"They're green." She remarked, wrinkling her nose. "Who has ever heard of green roses?"

"Wizards." Narcissa answered. "We can spell flowers to take on the colour of our choice."

"Well duh!" Hermione snorted "I meant why would you want to spell them green?"

"Because Green is for Slytherin dumb-ass!" Bella snapped.

"Oh my gosh, no way!" Hermione gasped mockingly, her hands on her cheeks in mock shock.

"Ah, there you are!" Voldemort said jovially. "You look so handsome Severus!"

Snape blanched

Voldemort cringed. "Of course, I meant that in a non-gay way."

"Of course." Snape said uncomfortably.

"All ready to get your prize Severus?" Voldemort said cheerfully while slapping Snape on the back.

"Oh yes, can't wait. I all a quiver with anticipation my lord." Snape said flatly.

"That's the spirit!" Voldemort said heartily before leaving Snape at the altar to go to the podium.

The hall had been decorated in green. No other colour…just green.

In the seats assembled sat all the death eaters and their families.

Draco stood beside Snape looking just as anxious as Snape did.

"Where are they?" Snape muttered looking at the doors of the hall.

"They'd better get here soon." Draco agreed as music started up, announcing that the bride was about to make an appearance and Narcissa and Bella took their seats.

"Because here comes Hermione." Draco added.

Snape growled in frustration.

The doors opened and Hermione entered, taking as much time as she could walking up the long aisle.

Everyone turned to see her walk, sneering and leering at her as she passed by.

With every step, Hermione lost hope that the order would get there in time to stop this from taking place, suddenly, she turned heel and fled for the doors.

"CRABBE! GOYLE!" Voldemort roared pointing at Hermione.

Instantly, Crabbe and Goyle seniors were up and had caught Hermione as she reached the doors and dragged her back down the aisle, kicking and screaming.

"LET ME GO!" she cried, kicking her legs in the air, but it was no good, the two bulky death eaters had her off of the ground between them.

"STOP! NO! I WON'T MARRY HIM!" Hermione screamed in anguish as the altar got closer.

Voldemort watched with apparent amusement as Hermione was brought forward and put down beside Snape.

The dark lord raised his wand and put her in a body bind so she couldn't run again.

"I told you before Miss Granger, I will not hesitate to use Imperio on you." He told her smoothly.  
Hermione glared at him, unable to say anything.

"There's a good girl. Now, I'm going to release you from this, otherwise you can't take your vows. But rest assured, one step in the direction of escape, and you'll find yourself imperio'd faster than you can say 'I do'." Voldemort said calmly before lifting the spell.

"You slimy, evil BASTARD!" Hermione screamed at him.

"Thank you, now, if we are done with the pleasantries, shall we proceed?" Voldemort said casually.

Snape looked at the door again, willing the order to march on in and start killing people!

Draco swallowed hard as Voldemort began the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"

Hermione was trembling all over with anger and fear and hate. She glared at Voldemort before turning her head to look at Snape. 'Ew' was the first thing that sprang to mind before that was replaced by fear.

Snape was looking at the door again, before dropping his eyes to look at her.  
'Where are they?' Hermione asked silently, her eyes speaking for her.

'I don't know.' Snape answered in the same manner.

Hermione looked at Draco helplessly.

Draco returned her look with his own anxious and despairing expression.

They were shaken from their silent concerns by Voldemort.

"Severus, do pay attention!" the dark lord said wearily. "I understand that Miss Granger's beauty is bewitching, but really, at least stay with us long enough to take your vow!"

"I'm sorry my lord, what did you say?" Snape said blankly.

"Do you, Severus Snape, take Hermione Granger to be your lawful wedded wife? Do you promise to love, honour and keep her…we really need to just not do these vows." Voldemort said throwing the book over his shoulder.

"Do you Severus Snape, take Hermione Granger to be your wife?" he corrected and left it at that.

"I…I…" Snape stammered, his throat going dry and his tongue ceasing to work.

"you….you…" Voldemort encouraged.

"I…I…could I have some water?" Snape asked suddenly.

Voldemort gaped at him for a moment before nodding irritably.

Narcissa came up with a goblet of water and Snape took his time drinking it.

Once he was done, and the goblet wrestled from him by Narcissa, Voldemort repeated his question.

"I…do" Snape said in defeat, seeing Voldemort's hand twitch over his wand.

Appeased, Voldemort continued.

"And do you, Hermione Granger, take Severus Snape to be your husband?"

"Never." Hermione said in a low voice, glaring at Voldemort. "This is seriously sick and twisted and…and just gross! You know what? You…You suck! In fact, you suck worse than the suckiest suck that ever sucked!" She stamped her foot for emphasis and threw her bouquet at Voldemort watching as it bounced harmlessly off of his chest and onto the floor.

Sighing in strained patience, Voldemort flicked his wand casually at her. "Crucio."

Pain seized Hermione and she fell to the floor at Snape's feet writhing in agony but she refused to give the dark lord the pleasure of hearing her scream.

The death eaters laughed in glee.

Draco made to go to her, but Snape held out his arm, blocking him.

"Don't give yourself away." Snape murmured to him.

Voldemort lifted the curse, watching as Hermione shakily got to her feet.

"What was that you said Miss Granger?" Voldemort asked mockingly cupping his non-existent ear.

Hermione stared at the ground, her eyes had lost their fire.

"Well? We're waiting." Voldemort said condescendingly, fingering his wand casually.

"I…I do." She said in a barely audible voice.

"There now, was that so hard?" Voldemort said patting her on the head.

"Any objections?" he asked everyone.

"NO!" Came the chorus from the death eaters.

"YES!" came another roar from another group.

Everyone looked around to see who was throwing a spanner in the works and there stood the Order, in all their…glory so-to-speak. They did make a rather motley looking crew.

"YES! YES!" Hermione screamed in joy, jumping up and down and waving wildly at the Order who gave her the thumbs up in return.

"WOO HOO! IT'S THE RIGHT PLACE!" Tonks cheered, punching the air in victory.

"What are you doing here?" Voldemort demanded coldly.

"Well, we heard that Sev and Mione were getting married, and we thought to ourselves….how rude we weren't invited!" Tonks replied mockingly "So we invited ourselves!"

Snape gaped at Tonks, her violently pink hair stuck up all over her head, making it look like she was involved in a disastrous potions incident.

"So now, we are here to voice our objections." Tonks finished.

Voldemort sighed. "Very well, take a seat, if you must!"

The Order froze.

"Wow, Dumbledore wasn't kidding! He really is that dumb!" Lupin remarked.

"I told you so!" Snape said in exasperation. "Didn't I tell them Draco?"

Draco nodded in agreement. "He did, to be fair. He warned you all!"

Draco jerked his head at his father, pointedly looking at Moody who got the message and moved over to stand behind Lucius, and obtained Snape's wand without any problems.

Hermione was looking between Voldemort and the Order with and expression of utter disbelief.

"Warned you all about what? Why would Severus have any contact with any of you other than Miss Granger and Draco?" Voldemort asked suspiciously.

"HE'S A SPY!" The deatheater's chorused.

"Look, will you all stop saying that! Poor Severus must feel awfully put out when you accuse him of that!" Voldemort snapped at them all.

Jaws dropped everywhere as they all stared at him in disbelief.

"Why are you gaping Severus?" Voldemort asked sharply.

"Because it's true you fool!" Snape squawked at the dumbest man alive.

"What?" Voldemort said blankly.

"It's true!" Snape squawked again. "I am a spy! I've been faking it this whole time!"

Voldemort looked crestfallen. "But Severus, I…"

"You have to be the dumbest wizard alive!" Snape ranted "I can't believe I ever joined your ranks to begin with! I should have gotten a clue when you took us all on that picnic! All raspberry jam and crumpets! What dark lord would eat that! Shouldn't he eat stuff like…I don't know…wild boar?"

Suddenly Voldemort started laughing. He laughed so hard, he was bent double at the waist, clutching his stomach.

"Oh Severus! Your sense of humour slays me!" he cackled.

"AAAARGH!" Snape screamed in frustration.

"Oh my God!" Tonks said in disbelief "It's like he gets dumber with every passing second!"

"Oi, Snape!" Moody hollered.

Snape looked up and saw his wand being tossed at him.

He caught it and held it aloft, facing the death eaters.

"Listen up, obviously, Sir Laughalot here doesn't get it, but you lot do, so lets get this over with."

The Deatheaters obliged and pulled their wands out too, as did the Order.

Voldemort was too busy laughing to notice, he was on the floor pounding it with his fists.

Draco grabbed Hermione's hand.

"Severus, this is really bad form you know!" Lucius said wearily as he got to his feet, pulling out his wand.

"You were the one who saw me as a spy Lucius, so it's only fair that you get the credit." Snape said seriously.

"How sporting of you!" Lucius said softly. "It's ironic really, we've been friends since we attended Hogwarts ourselves, it's too bad I shall have to be the one to kill you."

Hermione and Draco got in front of Snape.

"You would die before your wand fired the spell!" Hermione snarled.

Lucius raised an eyebrow in amusement "Why suddenly so willing to put yourself in harms way for him now Miss Granger? Just moments ago you were adamant that you would not marry him, and now you risk your life for him?"

"Don't be so dense." Hermione snapped. "The students of Hogwarts and their families owe a lot to Professor Snape. As for potions, he's irreplaceable. He may be mean, spiteful and unfair to us, but he's our potions teacher and we won't let you kill him without a fight!"

Lucius brought his face close to Hermione's. "Such a little lioness you are!" he cooed.

She answered this with a hard slap to his face. "Don't patronise me you arrogant, evil git!"

"Ouch." Snape remarked from behind her before sweeping forward, his wand raised.

"Well come, we've wasted enough time, let the battle begin!" he said lightly.

Instantly, spells were fired and yells went up as the battle commenced.

Draco and Hermione, being wandless, had to fight the muggle way, fists flying and kicking random death eaters.

Hermione was suddenly tackled to the ground and McNair hovered over her, grinning.

"Get off me!" Hermione snarled and kicked as hard as she could. Her foot landed right in his groin, thoroughly disabling him as he curled up into a ball and lay whimpering on the ground.

Voldemort had finished laughing his head off and had clambered up his podium, his jaw dropping at the sight of the battle.

"Well now this is unexpected!" he remarked, scratching his head.

He ducked as a streak of something red flew at him.

"HEY!" He yelled "THAT NEARLY HIT ME!"

Snape snarled and turned sharply, firing the killing curse at Voldemort.

Voldemort ducked out of that one too and his head reappeared over the podium, scowling at Snape.  
"Oh I see how it is. You've betrayed me have you? Well, then, you've brought this on yourself Severus."

Snape glared, waiting.

Voldemort stood up and glared back at him as he advanced, his wand raised.

"Avada Ked- OOF!" Voldemort grunted as something fast and white smacked into his abdomen, effectively rugby tackling him to the ground and his wand skittered several feet away.  
Suddenly, he was on his back being slapped and scratched, by Hermione.

"YOU EVIL SON OF A B HOW DARE YOU FORCE ME TO MARRY MY PROFESSOR! YOU SICK, TWISTED, UGLY, EVIL, TWERP! THIS IS FOR HARRY!" she landed and uppercut on his chin "AND THIS IS FOR HARRY'S PARENTS!" her fist collided with his eye. "I HOPE HARRY KILLS YOU IN A REALLY PAINFUL AND EMBARRASSING WAY! I'M GOING TO BREAK YOUR NOSE!" She screamed at him before drawing her fist back and smashing it into his face.

"I don't have a nose!" Voldemort squawked at her.

Hermione screamed insanely and slapped him repeatedly.

Suddenly, she was hauled off of him.

"Leave some for Harry, Hermione!" Lupin said with a chuckle as he carried her off through the battle, dodging hexes and curses.

"Professor Lupin!" Hermione cried "Put me down, I have to help!"  
"No, you're coming with the rest of us." Lupin said firmly  
"But, Draco!" Hermione cried, looking frantically around for her beloved.

"We have him!" Lupin assured her as he ran with her out of the hall.

"Can't we just stay to kill Voldemort?" Hermione pleaded. "I almost had him!"

"No dearest, our orders were to retrieve you, Draco and Professor Snape. We have done that, and now we return to Hogwarts." Lupin replied gently.  
Snape ran behind them, firing curses and killing several death eaters as he went.

Draco ran alongside Tonks, adrenaline coursing through his veins. His father had survived, but only just. His mother and Bellatrix had been hit with some stunning spell or another and he had been grabbed by Tonks and hauled out of the room.  
"SEVERUS THE DOORS!" Arthur yelled over his shoulder at Snape.

Snape waved his wand, shutting the doors and securing them with a large plank of wood he levitated between the handles, trapping the death eaters inside before running to catch up with the Order.

They made it outside of the castle, and kept running into the forest.

Lupin continued to carry Hermione, though he seemed exhausted.

"Professor Lupin, I can run on my own." Hermione said softly.

"No, that's alright, I'm alright." Lupin panted.

They arrived at a clearing and quickly got into position.

Molly and Arthur gathered Hermione to them and Snape grabbed Draco.

They all apparated together, arriving outside the Gates of Hogwarts.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: OMG!!! I am sooooo sorry that I haven't updated in months!!!! I am very ashamed of myself for letting this and Hermione's Makeover sit for so long without an update! I've been busy with work and being pregnant is exhausting! But without further ado, here is Chapter 24. It's not much, and it'll take me a day or two to get back into the story again, but fear not, I will and I will resume my updates as often as I can! LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! Cookies for everyone!**

Chapter 24:

"Well thank Merlin that's over with!" Molly said with relief as she checked to make sure everyone had made it.

"Indeed…I need a cup of tea." Moody grumbled.

"You arrived just in time! I'd said I do and Evil Git was just about to proclaim us man and wife!" Hermione said wearily. "I really hope Harry messes him up really badly when the time comes for him to kill the git!"

"Hear hear!" Came the chorus from the Order.

Lupin waved his wand and the gates swung open, admitting the weary group into the Hogwarts grounds before swinging shut with a loud clang.

"What kept you?" Snape demanded suddenly after a minute of silence.

"Sorry Sev?" Tonks asked, looking up at him as she plodded along beside him.

"I asked what kept you all? Talk about cutting it fine!" Snape snapped irritably.

"Oh, yes, well you've got Lupin here to thank for that!" Tonks replied jabbing her thumb at Lupin.

"I told you…I was going on the instructions Dumbledore gave me…which were given to him by Severus!" Lupin protested.

"My instructions were perfectly clear!" Snape snapped.

"Yes, well you know Dumbledore…" Lupin began, but Tonks slapped his arm sharply.

"Don't pin this on Dumbledore!" She chided. "Just admit that you got us thoroughly lost!"

"Oh listen to you two, you sound like an old married couple!" Snape said irritably.

"Professor Snape?" Hermione said quietly from behind him as she walked alongside Draco.

"Yes Miss Granger." Snape said wearily.

"Do we still have that potions test tomorrow?" Hermione asked worriedly.

Snape almost tripped over his own feet. After all they'd just been through, the know-it-all was concerned about a potions test?!  
"Yes Miss Granger." He answered calmly. "The test will be tomorrow."

"Oh let up Sev! They've had a tough day!" Tonks protested. "Are you really that heartless!?"

"Heart? Heart? He has no heart!" Moody quipped, winking at Molly and Arthur.

Snape said nothing in response, pointedly ignoring the ex auror.

"If you are not prepared for the test, Miss Granger, I suggest you study extra hard this evening." He drawled "Just because we've had a tough few days does not mean the rest of the class has suffered the same miserable fate."

"But Professor!" Draco protested, "We've barely slept in two days!"

"Well then when you have completed the test you will be all the more relieved enough to sleep well won't you!" Snape smirked.

Draco and Hermione said nothing.

They arrived at the doors of the castle and Snape, Draco and Hermione entered it first, glad to be back in familiar trappings.

They were met by the sight of the students of Hogwarts leaving the Great Hall having just finished lunch.

"Oh my God look at Hermione!" Some girl squealed pointing at Hermione and her wedding dress.

"What the heck happened?? Did she and Draco just get married or something!?" demanded a Slytherin girl.

"Ooh a secret wedding! How romantic!" Swooned a hufflepuff, "And look! Professor Snape was the best man! He scrubs up pretty well doesn't he?! I think he's washed his hair!"

"Okay Beverly, that's taking it too far!" the girl's friend said uncomfortably as she shoved her goggling friend out of the path of the glaring Snape.

"Move aside, let us in rugrats!" Moody grumbled as they weaved in and out of the staring students.

"Severus!" Came a frantic and worried voice.

They all looked up and saw Professor McGonnigal rushing towards them, sweeping students out of her way.

"Oh thank goodness you are all alright!" The fretful Professor said putting a hand on Snape and Hermione's shoulders.

"Is Dumbledore around?" Moody asked.

"Yes, of course. He's in his office awaiting your return!" McGonnigal answered eyeing Hermione, Draco and Snape carefully, as though she were looking for injuries.

"MIONE!!!!" Came two very loud yells.

Suddenly, Hermione was grabbed and eveloped in a crushing hug, sandwiched between Harry and Ron.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked taking in her appearance.

"I'm fine!" she reassured them both. "Ron, don't pull that, it's attached to my hair!"

Ron stopped tugging on her veil. "Sorry Mione, I just can't stand to see you dressed like that when it was for…well…you know…"

"Right, yes, I get it…Come on you guys, we've got to see Dumbledore!" Hermione said rushing forward and hitching up her volumous skirts and dashing up the stairs.

The Order hurried after her, students diving out of their way as Snape was in the lead looking different…but still scary.

They reached the gargoyle and Snape snapped the password at it, and darted in as soon as it jumped aside.

The Order followed, cramming themselves into the small space.

"Mione! I can't see anything!" Harry's muffled voice said from behind Hermione.

"Sorry Harry…it's this stupid dress." Hermione said apologetically as she dug around in her skirts for Harry.

Harry appeared moments later and grinned. "I'm alright, I survived! Did you know you are wearing a garter?"

"Too much information Potter!" Snape snapped from somewhere above them.

"Remus you are standing on my foot!" Tonks complained.

"Moody, if you wouldn't mind…it's just you've got your elbow in a very…erm…uncomfortable place!" Molly's voice said uncomfortably and with some embarrassment.

"Oh, sorry Molly, Arthur, no hard feelings." Moody replied jerking his elbow out of Molly's chest.

"Perhaps we should have come up one or two at a time?" Lupin said thoughtfully.

"Well it's alright isn't it? We're here now!" Ron said happily charging forward.

"OW!" Draco said indignantly as he went crashing into the back of Snape who stood blocking the door-way.

"DON"T PUSH ME DRACO!" Snape snarled, pushing his back into Draco who was now getting crushed up against Snape's back by Hermione, Ron, Harry and the rest of the order.

"Sorry Draco!" Hermione said sounding squashed, her chin on his shoulder.

"That's alright…I don't mind." Draco said wiggling his eyebrows, "Get as close as you want!"

Hermione blushed and giggled.

"What is going on?!" Molly demanded.

"Sev's blocking the way!" Tonks grassed.

"Severus, for the love of Merlin!" Lupin said irritably "Move! We're getting crushed here!"

"I'm not going a step further!" Snape called back defiantly.

"What is the blasted problem??" Moody demanded.

"Headmaster, take it down!" Snape demanded. "I'm not setting foot in there unless you do!"

Dumbledore sighed. "Severus, really, it's nothing to be afraid of!"

"TAKE IT DOWN!!!" Snape screamed, feeling the revolving stairs causing even more of a crush behind him and it was getting extremely difficult to hold them off.

"Right, that's it!" Tonks said decisively. "Molly, give me a leg up!"

"Right you are Tonks dear!" Molly's voice replied.

A few moments later Tonks had effectively crowd-surfed to where Snape stood blocking the way.

"Sev, move it!" She said sharply, "There's kids here and they're turning blue!"

"NO!" Snape barked back. "And don't you tell me what to do!"

"Look, it's easy, I'll show you. You just put one foot in front of the other and you'll be IN…" Tonks gave Snape a hard shove forward, sending them all sprawling into Dumbledore's office with a chorus of yells and indignant cries.

Dumbledore watched with amusement as the Order lay in a literal heap in front of his desk.

Tonk's head shot up from the midst of the pile and she grinned.

"We're okay!"

"Speak for yourself!" Snape's muffled voice declared from somewhere within the tangle of robes, arms, legs and such.

"I speak for us all Sev!" Tonks said cheerfully.

"Look up and say that!" Snape replied.

Tonks looked up and saw a sprig of Mistletoe.

"Its mistletoe…so what?" She said shrugging.

There was a muffled exasperated sigh from Snape. "Will someone care to explain to Miss Dunce up there just why that is not a good thing?"

"It's a cursed Mistletoe!" Hermione's muffled voice explained.

"I'm getting squashed here!" Draco complained, "Is that your hand Hermione?"

"NO IT IS NOT, IT'S MY THIGH AND I'LL THANK YOU TO STOP STROKING IT!" Snape yelled.

"Sorry Professor!" Draco said quickly withdrawing his hand.

"Actually, I think it was my hand Malfoy!" Harry remarked in an irked tone.

"Then who was stroking my thigh???" Snape demanded.

"I don't want to know." Lupin groaned.

"Well, I think it would be wise for us all to get untangled and then get on with it!" Molly said decisively.

"Right you are Molly!" Moody agreed and began to worm his way out of the pile, his head popping up out of the top before he wriggled his way out, missing his magic eye.

"OW!" Draco bleated. "That was my back you just used as a springboard!"

"Sorry boy." Moody grunted straightening his robes.

"Where is my shoe?" Snape's muffled voice demanded indignantly.

"I think that must be what's lodged between my boo…well…I think it's here!" Molly's voice replied.

"No it's fine…you can keep it, I'll just buy a new pair." Snape replied in a disgusted voice.

"I don't mean to cause a fuss, but is anyone lying on my magic eye?" Moody enquired peering into the pile.

"Eff!" Ron's voice sounded "Ick in I ouff!"

"Ew Ron, that's disgusting!" Harry remarked.

"Spit it out boy! I can't risk you swallowing that!" Moody said urgently, digging through robes and arms and legs to locate Ron.

"ALISTOR!!!" Molly Shrieked. "Watch what you are grabbing!"

"Sorry Molly!" Moody grunted grabbing a hand.  
"Who's hand have I got?"

"Mine!" Harry replied. "Pull me out!"

Moody yanked Harry out of the pile, illiciting yells and cries of protest as limbs and such were trod upon by Harry as he clambered out.

Harry turned and managed to find Ron and pulled him out.

"I see white dress!" Ron said gasping for air. "Down there, beneath where I was!"

Harry reached down and moved a black robe aside to see Hermione's dress and felt around for her hand.

"HARRY!" she cried. "Those are not my hands!"

"Sorry Mione!" Harry said turning red. "Try and find my hand!"

A hand appeared and Harry grabbed it then pulled

Hermione appeared looking ruffled, her veil and tiara askew. "Thanks Harry!" She said gratefully.

Once Hermione was out, the rest were easy to detangle and find.  
Snape was the worst off and needed some resuscitation as he had been at the very bottom of the pile.

Once everyone had recovered, they found they couldn't move from where they stood.

"It's the mistletoe!" Snape said mournfully. "What is that doing in your office of all places?" he demanded of the chuckling Dumbledore.

"It just appeared!" Dumbledore said innocently.

"Well who's going to kiss who to get us out from beneath this thing?" Harry asked.

Molly and Arthur jumped together, as did Tonks and Lupin and Draco grabbed Hermione grinning triumphantly at Harry and Ron who scowled.

"Well it's not really fair is it? I mean there aren't enough women for the amount of men!" Moody pointed out…moodily.

"And there's no way I'm kissing any blokes!" Ron declared sternly remembering the mistletoe's effect on the Deatheaters when they stormed Hogwarts.

"Then perhaps the ladies would be so kind as to bestow a kiss to the remaining gentlemen when the ones they are currently with are free?" Dumbledore suggested.

The women looked around at the guys and nodded.

"Well then I suggest you all get on with it…I would so much like to hear of your adventures!" Dumbledore urged.

Arthur and Molly kissed affectionately, Tonks and Lupin did the same and Draco dipped Hermione and kissed her thoroughly.

"Umm…Hermione…" Harry said uncomfortably a few minutes later as the two continued to kiss as though no-one else was in the room.

"Ah, young love." Molly sighed fondly.

"Will somebody just kiss me so I can go and sit down!" Moody said impatiently.

"Sorry Alistor." Molly said apologetically going over and quickly pecking him on the lips, thus releasing him.

All that remained were Harry, Ron and Snape.

Draco finally released Hermione but everyone suspected it was only because breathing was required to remain alive. He went and sat down, smirking.

Tonks went to Harry and kissed him briefly and Harry scurried over to a chair where he sat looking embarrassed.

Ron received his freedom by means of a quick kiss from Hermione and floated to a chair beside Harry.

All that remained was Snape, who stood glowering around the room.

He felt someone sidle up to him and he looked down in horror to see Tonks grinning and winking up at him.

"Wotcher Sev!" she said cheerfully and winked at him, "Ready for the best and probably only snog of your life courtesy of moi?"

Snape didn't have time to so much as sneer before Tonks reached up and grabbed his head and yanked it down to give him his freedom.

A moment later, Snape emerged from the mistletoe prison wiping his mouth and muttering darkly about revenge as Tonks looped her arm in his.

"We're going to get married and have lots and lots of babies and live in a lovely country cottage and…" Tonks sighed happily winking at Harry who grinned.

"Get away from me!" Snape hissed moodily, shoving Tonks away "Don't ever touch me again!"

"Geez Sev, with an attitude like that it's no wonder you never had a girlfriend!" Tonks quipped then giggled manically all the way to her seat next to Lupin who smiled at her warmly.

"Now, lets get down to business." Dumbledore said getting down to…well…business.

Half an hour later, Dumbledore sat shaking his head in wonder.

"Well I never…is he really that stupid?"

Snape snorted. "You doubt it?"

"Well I honestly thought he was a bit smarter than that…I suppose not." Dumbledore mused.

"Well at any rate, I've been revealed and he'll be after my blood as well as Potter's. I anticipate a battle…a big one…the last one." Snape said darkly.

Hermione sat curled up against Draco's side and shuddered, snuggling closer. Draco responded by kissing her tenderly on the forehead.

"Mr Potter, how do you feel about that?" Dumbledore enquired of Harry.

Harry thought for a moment before replying. "I think if he wants to bring it to a head now, then let him. I'm ready."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Dumbledore asked seriously. "This is a big battle we are talking about here."

"I know…but I really want to just get rid of him once and for all." Harry said shrugging. "Might as well be now."

The Order was surprised at Harry's casual approach. They didn't question it though, deciding it best to let Harry deal with it in his own way.

"Draco, what do you think your father will do?" Hermione asked softly.

"I don't care." Draco replied defiantly. "I used to hold him as my role model, but now that I've actually met the dark lord, I can safely say that its nothing but embarrassing that my father follows such an idiot!"

"But what if he tries to harm you?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"Then he'll have to go through me." Snape said darkly.

"And me." Hermione said nodding in agreement.

There were two resolved sighs.

"And us…I suppose." Harry and Ron said together.

"You have us all backing you and protecting you Draco." Mr Weasley said warmly. "Don't you worry about a thing!"

"I wasn't worried…that's my point." Draco said slowly "But thank you all anyway." He added smiling.

"What we need to figure out is how we are going to go about this battle. We need to be ready for anything." Moody put in.

They all sat and thought hard.

"Lemon drop anyone? I always find that sucking on a nice lemon drop helps me think." Dumbledore offered.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Might I suggest that we first rest and relax before we plan what is to be the biggest battle the wizarding world has ever seen?" Lupin suggested. "After all, it's been a long day for all of us and it's already past dinner."

There was a gurgling growling sound and everyone looked around at one another finally realizing Snape was not looking around like everyone else.

"Was that your stomach Sev?" Tonks asked in wonder.

"Oh what? Never heard a stomach growl before?" Snape snapped at everyone.

Harry, Ron and Hermione bit back laughs.

There was another growl of the stomach kind and Ron looked sheepish.

"Honestly Ron, do you ever stop eating?" Harry jested.

"Well if all we are going to do is stand around here and listen to stomachs protesting, I'm going to my office to catch up on my marking." Snape said indignantly sweeping from the room "Headmaster, call me when you wish to discuss this matter further." He added before leaving the room.

There was a moment of silence before Tonks spoke.

"Food."

"Hear Hear!" The group agreed.

"To the Great Hall!" Dumbledore announced.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Sorry it has been so long. I had my baby 9 weeks ago and she has taken up so much of my time! You can check on my Livejournal for updates on our progress My name there is Scotlandsgirl. Anyway, here's the next chappie of this story, I'll also update Hermione's makeover today too! **

They all herded out of the room, having not learned from their traumatic arrival and squashed into the spiral staircase.

Dumbledore spotted the hem of Snape's black velvet robe whipping out of site at the bottom of the staircase.

"SEVERUS!!!" He hollered, making everyone cover their ears.

"Who knew he could yell that loud?" Ron muttered scowling and rubbing his ears.

They reached the bottom and Dumbledore squeezed his way out and hurried after Snape, followed by the rest of the Order.

Dumbledore threw out an arm and scooped Snape around, effectively changing his direction to now head toward the grand staircase.

"We've decided to go eat first! We'll have the great hall to ourselves for an hour, given that the rest of the school are all in class!" Dumbledore announced to him happily as the rest of the group huddled around Snape, pushing him and sweeping him along with the rest of them chattering loudly.

"Must I come?" Snape moaned, feeling like he had been kidnapped by a herd of noisy, obnoxious and badly dressed sheep.

"Yes!" Dumbledore replied happily. "You are in the Order, you go where we go when we are all assembled!"

"I feel I'm part of a herd of cattle!" Snape said reproachfully.

"United as one team, exactly! Now you are catching on!" Dumbledore said nodding and apparently not listening to a word Snape had said.

Snape's stomach gave another and rather alarmingly loud growl as the smell of food wafted from the great hall.

"See, your stomach wants to join us!" Dumbledore chuckled giving Snape an affectionate shake with the arm around his shoulders and prodding his stomach with the other.

Tonks jostled Snape from behind. "C'mon Sev, I'm starved! Pick up the pace will you!? UGH!!! You're so SLOW!!! You walk like Merlin!"

"Merlin's dead." Snape sniffed flatly.

"Exactly, but he moves faster dead than you do alive!" Tonks replied irritably "PICK UP THE DAMN PACE SEV!!!"

"Alright, I'll pick up the pace…pick up the pace of my hand throttling you!" Snape snapped "Stop pushing me! I have a reputation to maintain! I will not have you-"

"Oh shut up Sev!" Tonks said dismissively waving his words away carelessly as they entered the great hall which had a vast array of food prepared for them.

"FOOD!" Tonks wooped, herding them all forward.

Once more however, Snape skidded to a halt at the door, digging his heels into the stone floor like a stubborn mule.

"WAIT!" he yelled above the protests. "More of that confounded mistletoe!" he declared pointing at the mistletoe in the doorway.

"It's just Mistletoe!" Draco said impatiently "I'd have thought you would be happy about it seeing as it's gotten you more kisses than you've ever had in your life!"

"What?? Who's snogged Sev??? Dish the dirt Draco!" Tonks gasped, practically drooling at this tasty morsel of gossip!

Draco smiled secretly.

"Mistltoephobic, that's what he is!" Moody commented knowingly.

"There's no such thing!" Snape snapped. "I just…don't like it. It's a stupid plant with no potion qualities what-so-ever and therefore is utterly useless and worthless in my opinion. All it has ever done has caused me grief!"

"Like I said, you're a mistletoephobic!" Moody said nodding.

"Moody…I'm going to hex your ball-" Snape snarled but was thrust suddenly forward into the great hall by Dumbledore.

"There you see? If you just take care to walk beneath it alone, it does nothing to you!" Dumbledore said chuckling.

"Now get out of the way, you're blocking the path to food!" Tonks said rushing forward.

Everyone took care to go through one at a time however, each of them secretly thinking that Snape had a good point. This kissing thing was getting old.

Draco and Hermione were last to go, Draco bowing Hermione through first.

"Thank you Draco!" She said, impressed by his gentlemanly manner.

She was just beneath the Mistletoe when Draco stepped forward, grinning evilly.

"DRACO!" Hermione wailed "You did that on purpose!"

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Snape snapped turning away in annoyance.

"I think it's cute!" Tonks said fondly watching Draco kiss Hermione into oblivion.

Molly and Tonks put their heads together and gave a collective "Awww!"

By now, Snape was sitting in his seat at the head table, selecting the food he wanted. The rest of the order was quick to join him while Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco sat at the Gryffindor table nearest the top table.

"Chow down!" Tonks cried gleefully. "Pass the gravy sev!"

Dumbledore raised his goblet of wine "To a victory well won!"

"Hear Hear!" came the chorus of replies.

It was a merry feast, joyful and excited, and once the main course had been consumed and dessert was served, they were content.

"So, Dumbledore, tell us more about this mischevious Mistletoe!" Mr Weasley said leaning around Molly to speak with the Headmaster.

"It's quite simple really…I just charmed it to imprison all who walk beneath it!" Dumbledore replied giving a chuckle. "And I must say, it has improved a lot of interhouse relations…as I had hoped it would! Why just the other day I spotted Blaize Zabini of Slytherin holding hands with Lavender Brown of Gryffindor!"

"What?" Ron said, his head snapping around so fast, his fellow diners heard the crack of his neck.

"Well well, that is progress!" Mr Weasley affirmed in admiration.

"Not to mention young Draco and Hermione here!" Dumbledore added, his eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, but if his father knew about it, he'd flip out!" Tonks pointed out.

"He already knows!" Draco piped up casually.

"Oh?" Dumbledore said with deep interest, peering over at Draco curiously. "And how did it go?"

"As predicted…he didn't much care for the idea. His only comfort in it was that Hermione was to be married to Professor Snape and that I therefore would have no way to persue it further. I expect he had hopes that I would give up on the notion and find a nice pureblood to fall in love with instead."

There was a collective gasp and the clatter of a fork as Snape dropped the utensil onto his plate and sat staring at Draco with wide eyes.

"Wow, didn't see that one coming!" Tonks said with a giggle. "You go ahead Draco, let it all hang out!"

"You love her?" Harry said, blinking in shock.

"Yes." Draco said shrugging. "Is that a problem?"

"Well…well…" Ron huffed, his face red.

Hermione was staring at Draco, shocked but a shy smile crept onto her face.

"Oh you poor thing!" Molly said suddenly, tears springing to her eyes.

Draco looked at her, wondering what she was talking about.

"Watching Hermione being forced to marry your godfather while all the time you were in love with her!" Molly continued, the tears spilling down her cheeks.

"There there dear." Arthur said handing his wife a napkin.

"It's just so…so sad!" Molly wailed "The poor, poor little dear!"

Snape rolled his eyes, shaking his head before leaning around to address Tonks. "You see Nymphadora, this," he gestured at the wailing Mrs Weasley, "is why I never married, or took an interest in girls…they are too emotional…it's rather embarrassing to be in the company of a hysterical woman!"

"It's Tonks…and it's your loss Sev. Women have a lot to offer you know! Love, food, se-"  
"I've heard enough!" Snape said turning from her, not allowing her to say that awful word.

Harry and Ron shifted uncomfortably as Mrs Weasley bewailed Draco's broken heart.

"It's alright Mrs Weasley!" Draco piped up, confused at the woman's emotion on his behalf. He wasn't accustomed to people considering his feelings. "Hermione isn't married to Professor Snape!"

"Yes…I know but…Oh you poor thing!" Mrs Weasley blubbered standing and rushing at Draco with her arms open.

"Mum!" Ron said burning with embarrassment.

"Come here dear, you need a hug!" Molly wailed scooping Draco up and hugging him tight.

Snape winced as he watched his godson get squashed against Molly's large chest, the boy's face bright red from lack of oxygen.

"Umm…Mrs Weasley, really it's alright…you don't have to…" Draco said in a muffled voice as his head was crushed to her chest, her upper arm covering his nose and mouth.

"Kill me now Harry!" Ron moaned.

Harry patted Ron on the shoulder sympathetically.

Hermione watched with amusement as Draco turned purple.

"Dear, he needs air!" Arthur said gently, easing Draco out of his wife's hug.

Draco stood panting and straightening his robes, trying to maintain what dignity he had left.

"Sorry Draco dear." Molly said wiping her tears away and smiling at him fondly, pinching his cheek.

Draco rubbed his sore cheek and smiled warily as Arthur led his wife back to the table, casting an apologetic look over his shoulder at him.

Draco sat back down and stared at Ron. "You have to endure that all the time?"

"Not all the time, only when she feels sorry for us!" Ron replied, still beetroot red that his mum had hugged Draco Malfoy.

"She's lethal!" Draco whispered "A very effective weapon. She should hug some death eaters and wipe out half of them by air deprivation alone…no magic needed! We'll call her 'The Death Hugger'

Harry and Hermione burst out laughing, while Ron's face fell into his hands from sheer humiliation.

Apparently, Mrs Weasley was feeling sorry for the less loved people and was now advancing on Snape.

"Don't you dare!" Snape said warningly, brandishing his fork as she came at him with open arms, bewailing his loneliness and solitude and bad hair.

"That's it, I can't watch anymore of this!" Ron declared standing up "I've been embarrassed enough for one day! I will not stand to witness my mum hugging Snape!"

"We'll come with you!" Harry said getting up too, followed by Hermione and Draco.

They hurried out of the great hall, the sound of Snape's agonized screams of being hugged along with Tonks' cackling laughter fading as the door closed behind them

"I'm going to get out of this stupid dress." Hermione said suddenly remembering she was still wearing it.

"Yes, I need to change too." Draco affirmed.

Right, Gryffindor Common room." Ron said stiffly.

"I'll see you later." Draco said kissing Hermione on the cheek before heading down to the dungeons.

"So, he loves you eh?" Harry said conversationally as the trio walked to the common room.

"Well…I…Yes, I suppose he does." Hermione said blushing.

"Do you love him?" Ron asked uncomfortably.

Hermione was silent for a moment before she answered. "I don't know…I think I might…it was just a bit sudden…"

They reached the portrait and Harry gave the password.

Hermione hurried up to her dormitory and quickly shed the wedding dress, tossing it unceremoniously in the corner before getting gratefully into her school robes.

"Much better!" She said letting her hair down and running her hand through it.

"Well, this will have to go!" She remarked, peering at her face in the mirror. She took out her wand and waved it. The make-up that she had worn vanished and she felt more like herself again.

She rejoined Harry and Ron in the common room.

"So…this Draco fessing up that he's in love with you thing…" Ron said uncomfortably.

Hermione stared at Ron for a moment. "What about it?"

"I was just wondering how you are taking it." Ron elabourated, picking at a thread on the arm of the chair he sat in.

Hermione glanced at Harry, who shrugged.

"Do you have a problem with it?" Hermione asked curiously.

Ron went red and began to splutter.

"No! Of course not! Why would I? I mean, I'm just asking!" he sputtered.

"I only asked Ron." Hermione said calmly.

There was a moment of silence while Ron recovered.

"But since you asked…" Hermione said blushing. "I happen to…that is to say I…I find Draco very…"

"It's okay Mione…you don't have to say it…I think we know what you mean." Harry said teasingly.

Ron however, looked bewildered. "Well I have no idea what she's on about!"

"Then lets leave it that way!" Hermione said airily as she breezed toward the door of the common room.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked.

"Library." Hermione answered as she left.

"Ron, I can't help but wonder…if you might…well, like Mione!" Harry said after a minute of silence.

"Of course I like her!" Ron stated shrugging. "Wouldn't be friends with her if I hated her, would I?"

"No, that's not what I meant…" Harry began, but was interrupted when Seamus Finnigan approached with Dean Thomas, wishing to show some pictures of questionable things to Harry and Ron.

"Where did you get these?" Ron asked agog.

"Better yet, where did you get these??" Harry asked grimacing as he looked at the still photos.

"Hid down in the dungeons…Snape never did find out. They were taken with a muggle camera about two months ago, so it took us a while to figure out how to go about getting the photo's out of the camera…but we did it!" Seamus said proudly. "If these aren't great for blackmailing Snape, I don't know what is!"

"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed, holding the photo he'd viewed next at arms length. "How did you get into his chambers??"

"It was really easy…I just snogged a fourth year Slytherin in exchange for information!" Seamus grinned.

Harry and Ron winced. Some people will do anything for a laugh it seemed.

"Hey, for stuff like this, sacrifices must be made!" Seamus protested.

"Oh, Harry, by the way, while we were there…" Dean said diving into his own robes and pulling out another set of photos.

Harry held up his hands. "No, I don't think I can view any more photo's of Snape in his underwear and…other ways…"

"No, these are different photos. We got them from Snape's top drawer in his dresser!" Dean informed him. "Thought you might like to take a gander…"

Dean held out the photos face down to Harry who took them slowly and turned them over with some trepidition.

His eyes widened as he stared at the moving picture on the top.

"Its my…"  
"Mum, yes. Back when she was at Hogwarts by the looks of things." Dean finished for him.

"She was one pretty woman!" Seamus grinned.

"What's Snape doing with pictures of your mum Harry?" Ron asked, peering at the photos over Harry's shoulder.

"I…I don't know!" Harry replied softly as he flipped to the next one.

It pictured Lily sitting by the lake in summer, the sun catching her auburn hair as she laughed with her friends. It appeared to have been taken from a distance.

There were about twenty photos in all, and all of them featuring his mother…walking to class, in potions class as she stirred a cauldron, casting a charm, sitting reading by the lake, dining in the great hall…apparently without her knowing about the photo being taken.  
He reached the next photo and froze. She was obviously aware of this photo being taken. She smiled right back at him, a smile of fun and life and her vivid green eyes sparkled.

"Do you think Snape took these photos?" Ron asked suddenly.

"I reckon he did, how else would he have them?" Seamus replied.

"But why would Snape take pictures of anyone…let alone Harry's mum!?" Ron asked, feeling a little disturbed.

Harry frowned as he flipped to the final photo. It was his mother again, but this time, she was in a red and gold ball gown and dancing with…Snape!

"What in the…" Harry exclaimed.

"Oh hey, can we have that one…more blackmail!" Seamus said grinning.

"Umm, I…Can we focus here!" Harry said irritably. "My mum danced with Snape!"

"Wait, look at the other couples behind them!" Dean pointed out. "See how they change partners?"

"Must be one of those dances where the girl dances around a circle of men…" Ron affirmed. "I hate those. I had to dance with Eloise Midgen last year…as well as Millicent Bullstrode…it was bloody awful!"

"But who took this picture if Snape was dancing with my mum?" Harry wondered aloud.

"He probably had one of his friends take it." Seamus remarked shrugging.

"Snape? Friends?" Ron snorted. "That's a laugh!"

"Well think about it, Lucius Malfoy would have been there, and Snape is Draco's godfather…maybe they were friends in school too!" Dean reasoned.

"I suppose…" Harry said frowning. He didn't like this. He didn't like this at all!

"Why has Snape got photo's of my mum?!" He demanded again, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Why don't we find out?" Ron suggested. "Give us something else to do besides plot and scheme for this war!"

"Maybe Mione could find out!?" Seamus said suddenly. "She seems rather close to Malfoy now, maybe he knows something!"

Harry nodded feverently. "Or maybe, I could just ask Snape myself!"

"And get into trouble for snooping around in his rooms?" Ron said lightly.

"But I didn't!" Harry protested.  
"Yes but he won't see it that way will he?" Ron reasoned "Think about it, all he will see is that you have his private property from his dresser drawer and you are demanding to know why he has said property! He'll think it was you that stole them and Merlin only knows what he'll do to you!"

Harry scowled. His life really sucked sometimes!

"Then what can I do!?" He demanded.

"Get Hermione to…" Seamus began again but Harry shook his head.  
"Mione won't agree to do that. She's gotten quite close to Malfoy and I know her well enough to say that she will definitely refuse to manipulate him into telling her something private about Snape! He's too loyal to him!"  
Harry told them in frustration.

"Hadn't you better put them back before Snape realizes they are gone?" Ron suggested nodding at the photos.

Seamus and Dean shrugged.

"He won't notice…and even if he did, he won't have a clue who took them!" Dean elaborated.

"Good point. You can hold onto them if you want Harry…it is your mum after all!" Seamus said kindly.

"Thanks." Harry said quietly.

"Well, see you later…we have mischief to get up to and people to blackmail." Seamus said brightly before leaving with Dean.

"Bloody hell, Harry!" Ron said in a hushed voice as Harry flipped through the photos again. "What do you think Snape's game is with these?"

"I don't know Ron, but I'm going to find out." Harry said determinedly.

Meanwhile, down in the dungeons, Snape had returned to his quarters and was changing out of his 'wedding clothes' and into his normal black and billowing attire.

Noticing that his socks were spattered with mud, he went to the top drawer of his dresser to fetch a fresh pair.

At first, he didn't notice…but as he closed the drawer he stopped, frowning.

Something was missing…but what?

Opening the drawer again, he surveyed the neat piles of black socks and black handkerchiefs. The neatly boxed rows of cufflinks and pile of cravats…his black eyes narrowed as realization dawned.

His photo book was missing!

Pausing to ponder, he wracked his mind trying to remember if he had taken it out recently. His collection of photos hadn't seen daylight for years!

He snapped his fingers commandingly and a house elf appeared.

"Yes Master Snape sir?" the elf squeaked, bowing low.

"Tell me, have any of the elves touched my photo album? It was in the top drawer of my dresser and now it is not." Snape enquired in a snappish tone.

The elf looked thoughtful. "No Sirs! We is never touching Professor Snape's private things! We is just doing his laundry, Sir. Washing his socks and Handkerchiefs and is putting thems back in neats little rows just as he likes!" The house elf squeaked out shaking his head vigorously.

Snape eyed the elf suspiciously. "Are you absolutely sure that none of you moved it somewhere? Taken it to be dusted? Hidden it as some sort of jo-" Snape stopped in mid sentence.

"We hasn't got Professor Snape's photos!" The elf affirmed honestly. "We sees it though!"

"See it? Where?" Snape asked urgently.

"In the drawer sir!" The elf replied, pointing up at the dresser. "When we is putting your socks in there! But we is never touching it, no no, that is being naughty and rude, and Professor Snape would hang us by the throats if we touches it!"

Snape scowled in frustration. "Very well, you may go!"

"Before Elsie goes, is Professor Snape needing anything elses? Darning? Food? Whats about these clotheses?" The elf asked pointing to the pile of his wedding clothes.

"Yes, take them and burn them." Snape instructed darkly. "I never want to see them again!"

"Yes Professor Snape."

The elf gathered up the clothes and disappeared with a crack, leaving Snape to piece together the mystery of his missing photo book.

Hermione had gone to the library as she had said and went straight to the section on wizarding warfare, a history.

She had taken up a pile of heavy books and settled down to study up and get a few ideas for the Order.

She began to scribble notes down feverishly as idea upon idea was rendered from her stockpile of books.

Draco had changed back into school robes and headed for Snape's door.

He had knocked once before he was yanked inside.

"What's the matter with you? You look like a troll just crapped on your desk!" Draco said eyeing the irate potions master warily.

"Someone has been in my chambers!" Snape snarled in Draco's face.

Draco winced as spittle hit his face. "Hey, say it don't spray it!" he wiped his face off with a handkerchief. "You have some spinach in your teeth by the way! And what do you mean by someone has been in your chambers? No-one can get into your chambers without your password…and nobody knows that except you!"

"Well someone has managed to find out what my password is!" Snape snapped, throwing a piece of chalk across the room, where it shattered against the stone wall.

Snape turned sharply to face Malfoy again. "Was it you?" he demanded.

"What?! No!" Draco said, offended that he'd been accused.

Snape seethed in silence, glaring at the wall, muttering to himself.

"How do you know someone has been in your chambers?" Draco ventured to ask.

"Because something is missing from my dresser drawer!" Snape replied darkly. "Something that I haven't moved or touched for quite some time."

"Do you mind if I ask what it was?" Draco asked, "It might help narrow it down if I know what the thing was!" He hastened to add at Snape's expression.

Snape didn't reply immediately, but after a moments silence he spoke.

"My private photo book."

"Photo book eh?" Draco mused, wracking his brain. "What sort of photos are we talking about here? Family? Friends? Art?…suggestive?"

"How dare you!" Snape spat indignantly, "Suggestive indeed!"

"So they were suggestive then?" Draco stated.

"NO!" Snape squawked.

"Alright alright, don't get your cauldron print boxers in a twist!" Draco soothed. "I was just trying to figure out who would have the gall and what their motive would be!"

"They were photos of…photos from my time at Hogwarts." Snape said with some difficultly.

"Ah, okay." Draco said taking that information on board. "So friends."

"Not in so many ways, friends is such a strong word Draco." Snape answered briskly.

"I'll stalk around a bit, have Crabbe and Goyle crack a few skulls, break a few arms, legs, noses eccetera and find out what I can from the other students." Draco said decisively.

Snape nodded. "Was there something you wanted?"

Draco looked at his godfather questioningly.

"You knocked on my door…was there something you wanted?" Snape asked again patiently.

"Oh, yes. I wanted to ask you about the mistletoe thing. What's the big deal with it for you? It's just a plant!" Draco said launching straight into it.

"I told everyone!" Snape said wearily. "It is absolutely worthless! It has no magical qualities and it has caused nothing but grief to me!"

"Yes…but how?" Draco pressed. "Other than having to kiss Tatiana that one time and McGonnigal the other…then there was Tonks there an hour or so ago…"

"Aside those times of utter humiliation and degradation, it has caused me more grief than I care to discuss." Snape sniffed, aloof.

Draco eyed him curiously. "Very well." He said airily and heading for the door, "I'll just find out some other way."


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: (Anonnymos) Of course I read my reviews! Every one of them. As such, I'm aware that I missed the deadline for a birthday update or two...which I have beaten myself up about. And in answer to your question, Yes...and no. You are close...but not close enough MWAAAHHAHAH!!!!!**

**A/N: Here it is at last!!!!! Another chappie! Sorry it has taken so long...but...meh, there's no excuse for it! I just got too busy with other things. But I have had my poor hubby sit with the baby while I have sat at this computer and squeezed out another chapter from my tired mind and imagination...but here it is! I hope it is acceptable!**

As he had promised, Draco carried out his investigation and search for Snape's missing photos.

Many a head, arm, rib and nose was broken in the quest and so far, had yielded nothing…though Crabbe and Goyle had been having a lot of fun!

"This is infuriating! Someone must know something!" Draco said scowling in frustration.

"What about Potter?" Goyle suggested dully.

Draco pondered before shaking his head "No, it can't have been him…he and Professor Snape have been getting along at least minimally since Granger and I got together."

"Weasley?" Crabbe offered. "I'd like to crack his skull!"

"Again, same as Potter!" Draco replied.

"Can we crack his skull anyway?" Goyle said practically drooling.

"If you must." Draco said carelessly before pacing. "I'm sure of one thing…it has to be a Gryffindor, there's no doubt about that…but which one…there are so many! And was it a girl or a boy…so far, we've only interrogated boys…perhaps the girls may know something."

"Do you want us to go beat up a few girls Draco?" Crabbe asked stupidly.

"No you fool! It's wrong to hit girls! Didn't your father teach you anything?!"

"Nope!" Crabbe replied picking his nose.

"There's no rules against torturing them though…yes…torturing..." Draco drifted off thoughtfully before turning to his two henchmen. "Okay boys, here's what we do!"

Meanwhile, the girls of Gryffindor were blissfully unaware of what the three Slytherin's had in mind for them, and were happily swapping juicy gossip and lipgloss up in Gryffindor tower.

The boys of Gryffindor sat playing chess and practicing stupid joke spells.

Except four. Seamus, Dean, Harry and Ron had a puzzle to figure out.

"I can't believe he hasn't figured it out yet!" Seamus said in bewilderment. "I thought he'd have figured it out by now!"

"Obviously we've overestimated our dear Potions Master…I thought he was smarter than this! It's been a week already and he hasn't even glared around suspiciously at anyone at mealtimes!"

"Maybe he hasn't noticed they're missing yet?" Ron suggested. "We don't know how often he ventures to change his socks or underwear!"

They all shuddered.

"Got a point there Ron!" Seamus replied, "Heck, it could be months before he opens that drawer!"

Dean and Harry snorted a laugh.

"What are you four talking about?" Hermione said as she and Ginny joined the boys at the fire.

"Nothing." Chorused the boys.

Hermione looked around at them all suspiciously.

"Where's Draco?" Harry asked changing the conversation.  
"We'll he wouldn't be in here obviously." Hermione answered sarcastically "He said he had to do something for Professor Snape, so I assume he's doing that. I don't know what it is so don't ask me, but whatever it is, it has taken him all week. I've hardly seen him at all except in lessons and in the great hall for meals!"

Harry nodded.

"Hey Harry, fancy a game of quidditch?" Ron asked.

They all looked out of the windows.

Rain lashed down and streaks of lightning illuminated the slate coloured sky, illiciting loud cracks and rumbles of thunder.

"I don't think so Ron." Harry answered. "Weather's a bit…dodgy looking."

"Right. Forgot about that storm." Ron said disappointed.

"There must be something we can do! I'm so bored!" Dean moaned.

"How about your homework!" Hermione suggested sternly.

"Nah, too boring…besides, its not due in until Wednesday!" Seamus replied.

Hermione shook her head in distaste.

"Lighten up Mione!" Ron bleated.

Hermione snorted and stood up. "I'm going for a walk! It's too crowded in this common room."

"I'm coming with you." Ginny elabourated, getting up to follow Hermione.

They went off, leaving the boys to talk of boy stuff.

The two girls walked through the corridors of Hogwarts chatting about Harry, as Ginny had some questions.

"I mean, it's not like he can't notice me…I'm always around, at school, at the Burrow, and even on the train!" Ginny said plaintatively.

Hermione nodded in understanding. "I know, Gin, but Harry is a boy…well more a young man now I suppose…but he's still a guy I've noticed for quite some time that guys don't really notice anything that doesn't have anything to do with sport, and food and boobs. If you don't have any of those, you're screwed!"

"But I play Quidditch!" Ginny pointed out "And I have boobs!"

"You have a point there Gin." Hermione agreed, surveying her friend. "Well, then Harry has no excuse not to have noticed you has he! I'll speak to him tonight if you like…" Hermione said firmly but trailed off as Ginny put a finger to her lips and stopped outside a door of an empty classroom.

Hermione listened hard.

Giggling was coming from within, from a girl. The giggling was followed by peals of laughter.

Ginny and Hermione looked quizzically at each other before creeping up to the door and putting their ears against it.

The girl was laughing, but she spoke as best she could.

"Please!!! Please stop….HAAAHAHHAAAA!!! I don't know anything!!!! I swear…HAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAA! I can't take anymore! S…stop!!! HEEEEHHHEHHHAHHAHHAH!!!"

"You swear you know nothing…nothing at all??" demanded a familiar voice.

Hermione frowned.

"Draco?" She mouthed at Ginny.

Ginny nodded, frowning.

The two girls continued to listen.

"I swear!" The girl squealed before dissolving into giggles again.

"Alright then, but if I find out that you did know something and didn't tell me…I'll do a lot more damage!" came Draco's stern voice.

Ginny and Hermione leaped out of the way as the door was flung open and a fourth year Gryffindor girl by the name of Dorothy Wells was unceremoniously flung out by two burly Slytherins before the door was slammed shut after her.

"Dorothy are you alright!?" Ginny gasped and ran to help the red faced girl up.

Dorothy tossed her long dark hair out of her face before accepting Ginny's offered hand, standing up.

"I'm fine, I guess." She answered breathlessly.

"What happened?" Hermione asked gently.

"Well I was walking back to the common room when I was ambushed by Crabbe and Goyle from Slytherin…Draco Malfoy came out of the shadows looking all sinister and stuff and they gagged me and dragged me to this classroom…where they tied me to a chair and…" She stopped as though too traumatized to finish.

"They what? What did they do?" Ginny asked, eyes wide.

"They tickled me for information!" Dorothy finished.

"Tickled you??" Hermione echoed, gaping.

"Yes. Tickled me. I could barely breathe, it was awful!" Dorothy affirmed.

"What information were they looking for?" Hermione asked curiously.

Dorothy looked around fearfully. "They said if I told anyone about what they'd asked me…they would put me under the mistletoe with…Dandruff Dannny!"

Ginny gasped in horror. "No…" She whispered.

"I promise Dorothy, you can trust us. We won't tell anyone what they said, I promise!" Hermione said honestly.

Dorothy looked unsure.

"Honestly Dor, we won't tell a soul…not even Moaning Myrtle!" Ginny swore.

"You swear you won't tell?" Dorothy asked her two fellow Gryffindors.

Hermione and Ginny nodded.

Dorothy grabbed them both by the hand and pulled them along the corridors until they came to another unused classroom whereupon she pulled them inside, shutting the door and warding it with a silencing spell.

Finally sure that they couldn't be overheard, she turned to her fellow girls.

Hermione and Ginny waited anxiously for her to begin.

"They were asking me something about Professor Snape!" Dorothy whispered.

"Professor Snape?" Ginny and Hermione chorused.

"Yes Professor Snape!" Dorothy affirmed.

"No, Professor Snape!" Ginny and Hermione chorused again.

"That's what I said! Professor Snape!" Dorothy snapped.

"I trust there is a reason my name is being abused in such an overused way!" came a voice.

Dorothy froze, then discreetly gestured behind her with her thumb and mouthed, "Professor Snape?"

Hermione and Ginny nodded.

Dorothy turned around and came face to shoulder with Professor Snape who was glaring around at the three girls accusingly.

"Oh, hello Professor! We were just having a bit of a gossip." Dorothy said lightly.

Snape merely raised an eyebrow.

Hermione stepped forward to rescue her housemate.

"About you oddly enough Professor!"

Ginny and Dorothy shook their heads, eyes wide at Hermione.

"Indeed?" Snape remarked, "Go on."

"We were just discussing the matter of…of….of…" Hermione was struggling to come up with something.

"Of your hair!" Ginny piped up.

Snape's head snapped around to look at her so fast they all heard a crack from his neck.

He seemed unfazed by the painful sounding crack as he stared at Ginny hard, waiting for her to continue.

Hermione and Dorothy stared at Ginny in horror. Of all the things to pick, Ginny had gone and picked Snape's hair as their object of gossip!

Ginny seemed to have realized her mistake and looked around desperately for an escape.

Suddenly she squealed and pointed up above Snape.

"LOOK OUT!! MISTLETOE!!!!!"

Snape jumped as though he'd been burned and looked up for the offending plant.

"Run!" Ginny screeched to her two friends as she darted past Snape to the door.

Hermione and Dorothy shot out after her and legged it, leaving Snape snarling behind as he realized he'd been tricked!

Seething, Snape stalked out of the mistletoeless classroom and went in search of Draco.

He found him, interrogating some poor girl from Gryffindor who was on her knees begging Draco not to put her under the mistletoe with Crabbe as Crabbe stood nearby, making kissy faces at her.

"What on earth is going on?" Snape demanded.  
"We are getting information about…well you know what." Draco replied, holding a sprig of the offending Mistletoe like a weapon.

"By threatening students with the Mistletoe?" Snape said sounding unimpressed.

"Well If you have any better ideas…and before you suggest it, tickling didn't work either." Draco said gesturing at the girl.

Snape shook his head. "Indeed I do not. But I do have some suspects."

Draco flung the mistletoe at Crabbe and practically shoved Snape out of the room, closing the door behind them for privacy whereupon a blood curdling scream came from the girl in the room.

Snape and Draco ignored it and got straight down to business.

"Who?" Draco asked in a low voice.

"Dorothy Wells, Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger." Snape said briskly.

Draco stared at Snape for a moment. "Hermione wouldn't do that."

"How do you know?" Snape challenged.

"Because I know her…she respects you too much to try anything like that!" Draco defended.

"Maybe you just think you know her Draco." Snape said dismissively.

"What makes you think its Hermione anyway?" Draco demanded.

"I walked in on the three of them talking about something, I didn't catch what it was exactly but my name was mentioned several times and they ran like stags once they escaped. Hence my suspicion."

Draco sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

"Question Miss Granger of course. The way you two are of late, she'll sing like a charmed owl." Snape said smirking. "I'm seeing perks of this new relationship of yours…and to think, I thought it would all end in spilt tears and blood."

Draco gaped at Snape for a second before scowling. "You have a really twisted mind, do you know that?"

"I do…and let it never be said otherwise." Snape smirked.

Another tortured scream issued from within the room.

"What is Crabbe doing in there?" Snape asked frowning at the door.

"He's probably gone and used the mistletoe. That is the scream of a very disturbed girl." Draco said carelessly.

"Yes well, I suppose I'd better interfere…being a Professor and all. If I don't the girl will probably go sobbing to Minerva and tell that I was here and did nothing to stop her lips from being in contact with Crabbe's." Snape drolled before opening the door and entering the room.

"What is going on here?" Snape asked lazily.

The girl was clawing at invisible walls, desperate to escape Crabbe, who was grinning evilly and making kissing noises.

"Professor Snape! Please do something! Crabbe got me caught under the mistletoe with him!" the girl pleaded.

Snape shook his head. "You know very well that I cannot do anything Miss Barker. The Mistletoe is impenetrable until a kiss has been bestowed."

"But I…I don't want to kiss him!!! I'LL BE SCARRED FOR LIFE!!!!" She screamed hysterically.

"There are worse things than kissing someone you hate Miss Barker." Snape informed her "Now, get it over with, the sooner you do it, the sooner you'll be free."

But Miss Barker was not having any of it and continued to claw at the invisible wall.

Snape sighed longsufferingly. "Crabbe." He said motioning at the girl.

Crabbe saluted and grabbed the thrashing girl, then planted a gross wet kiss on her lips.

A soon as the mistletoe let her free, she bolted for the door.

"Miss Barker." Snape said lightly as she was passing him.

She stopped and turned to face him.

"You would do well to learn some manners, if Crabbe wasn't in Slytherin, you would have hurt his feelings." Snape informed her smirking.

"Y..yes P…Professor Snape…" She had turned very green and slapped a hand over her mouth, gagging and looking at Snape for dismissal.

Snape tossed his head in the direction of the door and she bolted out of it…and by the sound of it, she didn't make it anywhere near the bathroom.

Snape carelessly took his wand out and summoned Filch.

While they waited on Filch arriving, Snape spoke with the three young charges.

"No more of this torturing for information. I want you to speak with Miss Granger Draco and see if she knows anything, failing her, get Miss Weasley and Miss Wells. Those two, you may torture for information, but we cannot risk that with Miss Granger and besides, I don't believe it will be necessary."

Filch's cat, Mrs Norris came slinking around the door and stood with her yellow lamplike eyes on Snape.

Filch came a moment behind her.

"What seems to be the trouble Professor?" Filch asked "Need these three punished?"

"Don't be ridiculous Filch!" Snape said coolly. "They are Slytherins! No, a Gryffindor girl just threw up in the corridor outside…take care of it."

Filch left with Mrs Norris to do his duty, grumbling and muttering to his cat about lack of punishment.

"Go now Draco, I want my photobook back!" Snape said sharply and suddenly, turning to Draco.

Without another word, Draco turned on his heel and went in search of Hermione. He had rather missed her.

As he walked, he grew uncomfortable with the idea of asking Hermione for information. Snape had been most likely right in her being the one to question, there wasn't a thing that got past Hermione in Gryffindor. She saw and knew all!

But still there was a sense of something he hadn't felt before…it unnerved him even more to feel something he couldn't place.

Shaking it off, he headed for the library first.

Oddly, she wasn't to be found there.

His next search place was Gryffindor tower. He asked the painting if he might speak with Hermione.

"She's not here!" Sniffed the fat lady haughtily "She left an hour ago with Miss Weasley."

"And she has not returned?" Draco enquired.

"Don't you nasty Slytherins clean out your ears? I said she isn't here, which would indicate that no, she has not returned!" the Fat Lady said irritably.

"Alright alright, don't get your knickers in a twist!" Draco snapped back before stalking off.

"For your information, young man, I wear bloomers!!!" The painting called after him.

"I did not want to know that." Draco muttered as he hurried along the corridor.

He turned a corner, colliding hard with something warm and soft that smelled like…

"Hermione!" Draco winced from the floor.

Laying spread eagled on the floor in front of him, with papers and books scattered around her, was a rather dazed Hermione.

"Hermione are you alright?" Ginny gasped, as she and Dorothy helped her to her feet.

"I'm fine. Draco are you alright?" Hermione asked offering her boyfriend a hand.

Draco took it and got to his feet before kissing her hand affectionately.

"I'm alright thanks." He said smiling.

Hermione blushed and giggled.

Ginny and Dorothy stood awkwardly.

"We'll see you back in the common room Herm…leave you two alone." Ginny mumbled, grinning as she grabbed Dorothy, dragging her back towards the Gryffindor common room.

"I've been looking for you." Draco said cupping Hermione's face and planting a chaste kiss on her lips.

"You have?" Hermione said dreamily.

"I need to talk with you about something. I don't know if you know anything about it…but it would help immensely if you did." Draco said as he helped Hermione pick up her scattered papers and books.

"What is it?" She asked curiously.

Draco looked around to see if anyone was there, finding no-one, he spoke in a low voice anyway, just to be safe.

"Professor Snape's photo book has been stolen. He doesn't know who did it, but it wasn't me, or any other Slytherins for that matter, and it wasn't any Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff."

Hermione frowned. "Let me guess, Professor Snape thinks it was a Gryffindor?"

Sensing her irritation, Draco quickly tried to pacify her.  
"Yes, but only because we investigated a bit first!"

"I'm listening." Hermione said, folding her arms.

"Well, I was just wondering if you knew anything about it." Draco finished.

"If I did, don't you think I would have told Professor Snape about it?" Hermione challenged.

"Well…" Draco said lamely. He hadn't thought of that.

Hermione sighed. "Forget it."  
"I'm sorry." Draco said softly. "I just thought…being a Gryffindor and one of the famous traits is Loyalty…"

"I know, I get it. Well, for the record…no, I don't know anything, I swear I don't." Hermione told him.

Draco nodded, but looked as though he wanted to say something else.

"What is it Draco?" Hermione said offering him the chance to speak.

"I was just wondering if you would…" Draco began, but Hermione cut him off.

"You want me to ask around and try and find out for you." She said airily.

"Yes! Would you? That would be so great…we've tried tickling, using mistletoe…" Draco said relieved.

"Mistletoe?" Hermione echoed, arching a questioning eyebrow.

"Yes, Mistletoe…threatening them with Crabbe if they didn't spill the beans!" Draco said vengefully.

"Why didn't you just come and ask me to begin with ?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"I didn't think of it to be honest!" Draco shrugged. "It was Professor Snape's idea!"

"Alright, I'll find out for you tonight. It won't take long. I'll owl you with the news." Hermione said shrugging.

"I really love you, you know that?" Draco said lovingly, wrapping an arm around Hermione's waist and pulling her to him.

"And don't you forget it." Hermione teased before he silenced her with a searing kiss.

The parted and Hermione walked on air to the common room, smiling to herself.

She would find out who had been so disrespectful to Professor Snape…and she wouldn't need any mistletoe to do it!


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Here is another chapter. I was grabbed by the need to write and this came out...so enjoy it while it lasts...I go back to work tonight for three nights a week so I won't be so free to write so much.**

Hermione arrived at the Fat Lady's portrait to find that the Fat Lady was not in her frame.

Looking around at all the other paintings, Hermione's eyes searched for the fat lady, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Neville longbottom appeared beside Hermione and looked confused.  
"Where's the fat lady?" he asked.

"I don't know." Hermione replied honestly. "It's not like her to leave her post."

"Last time she did that was when Sirius Black escaped from Askaban." Neville said looking rather anxious.

"We'd better go and get Dumbledore…Something horrid must have happened to the Fat Lady –" Hermione was stopped when a voice huffed at them.

"Alright I'm here, I'm here!"

The two Gryffindors turned back to the painting to see the fat lady fanning herself with her fan looking rather out of breath.

"Where did you go? I looked for you in all of these paintings but you weren't there either!" Hermione asked rather annoyed.

"For your information, I may visit any painting in the castle and had gone to visit my friend Victoria! She's in a painting on the floor below. I don't leave my post very often, and so I decided it was high time I did, so there, I did and now I'm back. Any questions?" she said irritably.

Hermione and Neville shook their heads.

"Fine…Password?" The Fat lady said composing herself.

"Pendragon." The two chorused.

The painting swung forward, revealing the entrance to Gryffindor tower.

They went in and Hermione snapped immediately into her task and heading straight for Harry and Ron.

The two boys sat with Seamus and Dean playing exploding snap.

"Alright, who was it?" She demanded glaring around at the four boys.

"Who was what?" Harry asked, not taking his eyes off of the game.

"You know who was what!" Hermione hissed.

"Dunno what you are on about, Mione!" Ron said, tossing a card down on the pile.

"Yes you do! You all know something about what I'm talking about!" Hermione snarled.

Harry tossed in a card and the pile exploded.

As Seamus gathered up the scattered cards, Harry turned to face Hermione.

"Seriously, what are you talking about?" he asked.

"Snape." Hermione hissed as threateningly and quietly as she could so that no-one else overheard.

The boys looked at her, but said nothing.  
"Well?" She demanded. "Spill it!"

"Spill what?" Seamus asked "You're being really stu-"  
Hermione's wand tip was instantly between his eyes.

"Finish that sentence and I'll hex you a new bumhole!" Hermione warned.

Seamus held up his hands in surrender.

Hermione slowly lowered her wand, glaring at Seamus.

"Now, I want to know who did it and I want to know now!" She said dangerously.

The boys exchanged glances.  
"She's serious you guys." Harry informed his fellow guys.

Ron nodded to affirm Harry's comment.

"Fine…it was only a matter of time before someone else figured it out…trust it to be you Hermione!" Seamus said shrugging.

"Huddle." Dean said and motioned.

They all gathered in a circle.

"Do you know how to play exploding snap Hermione?" Seamus asked loudly.

"No, but it'd be great if you would show me Seamus!" Hermione replied equally loudly as they gathered in a small huddle.

"Right," Seamus said in a low voice. "I'll be honest with you, it was me and Dean."

"I should have guessed." Hermione said accusingly "What were you thinking!?"

"That it would be a right laugh." Dean said chuckling. "But Snape hasn't figured it out yet, so that's sort of put a wet blanket on it."  
Seamus snorted. "Yeah, he's even a wet blanket when he's not trying to be!"

this earned him a sharp slap on the hand from Hermione.

"Stop being so disrespectful, give me the photobook and we'll say no more about it." She hissed.

"Fine…are you going to tell Snape?" Dean asked.

Hermione looked torn before answering. "No. I'll make sure he doesn't find out you did it."

"How are you going to do that? Take the blame yourself?" Seamus asked incredulously.

"No, don't be so dense." Hermione snapped in a hiss. "I'll just tell him I found it and don't know who took it. He'll just be pleased to have it back he probably won't care who took it anymore."

A snort came from Harry. "Do you know Snape at all? Have you had your head in the ground for the past six years?? He won't let it go! He'll get that book back then he'll hunt down whoever took it…like animals. And once he's caught them, he'll torture them, then kill them, slowly…very slowly and painfully, before chopping them up and making a scrapbook out of the parts to show all of his friends at some potions convention where they'll all have a jolly good laugh!"  
His three companions were staring at Harry, looking a bit weirded out.

"Yes Harry, because Snape does Scrapbooking in his spare time!" Hermione snapped sarcastically.

"And goes to potions conventions!" Ron added

"Wouldn't put the hunting, torturing and killing parts though!" Seamus mused thoughtfully. "I can see him doing something like that."

"Oh shut up!" Hermione said irritably "Just go and get the photobook, and give it to me!"

Seamus and Dean did as she said, and went up the boy's staircase.

They returned a few minutes later.

"Here you go Hermio-" Seamus began but tripped over a pile of books on the floor and tumbled to the ground with a startled yelp, sending the photo book sailing through the air.

It crashed to the floor at Hermione's feet, spilling several photo's out onto the carpet beside the book.

Hermione quickly gathered them up and stuffed them inside the book to keep them from prying eyes.

"Wait a minute!" Dean said hurrying over to Hermione who held the book away from him protectively.

"Wait!" Dean pleaded "Those photo's weren't there before!"

"What?" Seamus asked, getting up off of the floor and dusting himself off.

"The photo's that fell out when it hit the floor!" Dean said trying to pry the book from Hermione. "They weren't familiar!"

"Let's see!" Seamus said eagerly.

"No!" Hermione said struggling to keep a hold of the book as the two boys tried to pry it from her.

"We'll give it back as soon as we've seen these pictures!" Seamus told Hermione.

"No!" Hermione replied, grunting. "They are not your photo's to see!"

She gave a small cry of loss as the book was finally wrestled from her and the four boys gathered around, opening the book to reveal the small pile of photo's that had fallen out of some hidden place.

"These weren't in here before!" Seamus affirmed. "Where did they come from?"

"Must have been hidden somewhere in the book somehow!" Dean suggested.

"Wow, this must be Snape as a kid!" Seamus remarked leafing through them.

Hermione tried to grab them, but failed.  
"That is a direct violation of Professor Snape's privacy!" She hissed. "I could report you to McGonnigal for this!"

"Yeah, but you won't." Dean said carelessly, looking over Seamus's shoulder with Harry and Ron to look at the photos.

"He looked miserable then too." Dean remarked.

"Some things never change." Ron snorted.

"Same hair, same expressions…wait…what's this??" Seamus said stopping at one photo.

It appeared as though the camera had been dropped and had taken a picture of it's own accord as a result.

It showed child Snape begging his father, while his father was standing over his mother, a bottle held threateningly over her head as she cowered on the floor.

"Wow…I never thought…wow." Seamus said solemnly.

"Why would he have a photo of that?" Dean wondered.

No-one answered.

"Okay, give them all back, I think we've invaded Professor Snape's memories enough." Hermione said quietly.

"Just one more." Seamus said sadly.

The last picture showed Snape with his mother, all in black. Behind them, a headstone engraved with "Tobias Snape". His father's funeral.

Snape's mother was lovingly running a hand through Snape's hair while Snape stood smiling slightly.

It seemed a bittersweet scene.

"Isn't it a bit disturbing that Snape would be smiling at his father's funeral?" Ron asked.

"Well going by the previous photo, I'd say Snape and his mother were glad to be rid of him." Harry remarked.

"Yeah, but doesn't Snape look a little…I dunno…smirky to you?" Seamus said.

They all peered at the photo closely.

"A bit yeah." Ron said squinting.

"Do you think he did it?" Dean asked darkly. "I mean, he obviously hated his father right? So maybe he killed his father so he and his mother could be rid of him!"

"Right, that's it, I'm taking this back to Professor Snape!" Hermione said firmly, grabbing the book and photos from Seamus. "Isnt' it enough that you've violated his privacy to begin with? You just had to infringe on it even further by delving into his childhood as well?"

The boys had the grace to look guilty.

"I feel terrible." Dean admitted.

"Me too." Harry said with pity. "But he had pictures of my mum, so it's payback sort of for me."

Hermione sighed. "Touchet Harry. I'm taking this back to Snape. I want you all to promise that you won't breathe a word of what you saw in any of these pictures to anyone so long as you live!"

"We promise." The boys chorused.

"Hermione!" Seamus said catching her as she moved towards the door of the common room.

"You can tell Snape if you want…of course we'd rather you didn't, but if you find yourself in a bind…you can tell. We understand."

Hermione gave them a small smile before she turned and left the common room, the photobook clutched protectively to her chest beneath her school outer robe.

She hurried towards the dungeons, hoping Snape would be there. She felt so bad for him. She only hoped that Seamus and the boys would keep their promise.

She hurried down the steps in the entrance hall and turned sharply to enter the dungeons and hurried along the dark corridor.

She reached Snape's office and knocked on the door and waited, bouncing anxiously on the spot.

After a minute or so, the door was opened briskly and Snape stood staring down at her a moment before speaking.

"I already informed you, Miss Granger, your essay is not due until Wednesday, I will not accept it at the present time!"

He made to shut the door, but Hermione put her hand out to stop it and spoke up.

"No Professor!"

Snape stopped and eyed her, frowning.

"That's not why I'm here, Sir." Hermione explained. "I…I have something I think belongs to you."

Snape knew that she had it. He stepped aside immediately and gave her entry.

He shut the door behind them and went and sat behind his desk.

"Give it here Miss Granger."

Hermione brought the photo book out from beneath her robe and placed it on the desk in front of him.

Snape opened it, checking it over. He froze when he saw his childhood pictures, before looking at Hermione accusingly.

"I…they…the book fell Sir, and they fell out, I put them straight back in again. I did not look at them, any of the pictures at all, I just found the book and upon opening it and saw the first photo, I knew it to be yours, and closed it immediately and brought it to you." Hermione explained.

Snape stared at her for a moment.

"Where did you…find this?" He asked quietly.

Hermione wracked her brain for a place that wouldn't incriminate Seamus and Dean.

"Gryffindor Common Room, Sir." Hermione answered truthfully.

"You wouldn't happen to know who took it?" Snape enquired.

Hermione shook her head, but kept her mouth closed. She couldn't trust herself to lie to a Professor.

"You're sure?" Snape said giving her another chance to tell him who did the crime.

Hermione hesitated before nodding silently.

Snape leafed through the photos before stopping at the middle page. He stared down at the empty pages before flipping almost frantically over the next few pages, which were also empty.

The pictures of Lily had gone!

"You're lying!" He said so sharply that Hermione flinched in spite of herself.

Hermione shook her head feverently.

"Speak up!" Snape commanded getting to his feet and slamming the book shut. "You are lying Miss Granger! You know very well who took this book. You know as well as I that it was Potter!"

"No Sir!" Hermione bleated honestly. "It wasn't Harry Professor!"

"Certain photos are missing that point directly to Potter, Miss Granger, do not try to save him from this!"

"I swear Professor Snape it wasn't Harry!!!" Hermione cried hysterically.

There was a knock at the door, interrupting them.

"Come in!" Snape all but screamed.

Draco entered, looking bewildered. "What's going on here? I can hear you yelling in the Slytherin common room!"

"It has been discovered that Mr Potter took my book Draco!" Snape informed his Godson.

"NO!" Hermione cried. "It's not true, it wasn't Harry!"

"Then who was it?" Snape demanded, swooping down and bringing his nose close to hers, an attempt at intimidation.

Hermione turned her head away, a silent resolution that she was not telling.

"TELL ME!" Snape roared.

"Whoa whoa calm down!" Draco soothed, unnerved by Snape's rage. "Lets just discuss this calmly." He turned to Hermione.

"Hermione, my love, who took the book if not Potter?"

Hermione looked at Draco before letting her eyes drop to the floor.

"Bring in Crabbe and the Mistletoe!" Snape ordered.

"No!" Draco squawked indignantly. "My girlfriend thank you very much!"

"I don't care!" Snape spat. "She's a Gryffindor through and through Draco, just like I told you! She knows who took this book, and she won't tell because she's too loyal to her friends."

Hermione was truly torn. She wanted to be loyal to her friends, but she also knew that it was wrong to disobey a Professor. Then there was Draco…she loved him, and knowing she was keeping it from him too pained her.

"What's it to be Miss Granger? The truth and betrayal, or Lie to protect the real perpetrator and Potter takes the fall and let Draco down?" Snape snarled.

Hermione burst into tears.

"I hope you are happy!" Draco hissed at Snape. "You made her cry!"

Snape glared at him before returning his harsh gaze on the sobbing girl.

"I don't care, I just want the truth!" Snape snapped.

"FINE!!!" Hermione screamed suddenly, making both males jump.

"I'll tell you." She added softly.

Snape and Draco stared at her with anticipation.

"It wasn't Harry. It wasn't even Ron…it was –" Hermione was cut off by a loud explosion from the upper floor.

They all grabbed Snape's desk as the castle shook violently.

"What's happening?" Hermione gasped in fear.  
Snape and Draco looked just as scared and shocked as Hermione did as the castle continued to shudder and dust, potions, vials, books and parchment fell to the ground.

"The ceiling!" Hermione cried as dust and parts of the ceiling began to fall.

A second later it all came down on them, burying them beneath the floor above.


	28. Chapter 28

Hogwarts was silent in the aftermath of the explosion.

The damage to the castle was confined to the left wing. Dust was thick in the air and parchment, quills, books, desks, chairs, and what appeared to be half of the library was in a rocky pile.

Dumbledore had heard the explosion and the shaking of the castle and had appeared in an instant to survey the damage.

McGonnigal stood at his side, one hand over her heart and the other covering her gaping mouth.

"Albus…the students…" She whispered in horror as she stared at the blocked entrance to the dungeons where the Slytherin common room was located.

"We must be calm Minerva." Dumbledore said quietly. "We must find out who was here when this occurred. My immediate guess would be entirely Slytherins, but we cannot afford to assume it is all Slytherins. We shall need to take a register."

McGonnigal nodded and was off at once, grabbing Flitwick as she passed him on his way to the scene.

Shortly thereafter, there was the disembodied voice of Professor McGonnigal throughout the school.

"Would all students report immediately to the Great Hall."

In what was left of Snape's office, all was still and silent.

The ceiling had come down into the office. Potions were dripping from the shattered remains of their vials and flasks and student's papers were scattered amongst the rubble.

The Slytherin common room had fared a little better. Chunks of masonary lay about, smashed on the ground. Dust was everywhere and the students within coughed and choked on it.

"What happened?" A girl asked weakly as she got to her feet.

"Don't have a clue." A boy answered dusting his robes off only to have more settle on them.

"Where's Draco?" Someone asked. "He was here a few minutes ago!"

"I don't see him!" A girl Shrieked. "I can't see anything! I think I'm blind!"

"Calm down, he probably went upstairs to snog that mudblood!" someone sneered. "And you're not blind, your robes are over your head!"

"That's a terrible thing to say about Draco!" Another girl admonished. "What if he's dead!?"

"Who cares, I want out of here!" Said a fourth year Slytherin, who went to the portrait and pushed. But it wouldn't budge.

"Looks like we're stuck. That's just great that is!" he huffed.

"Well you heard McGonnigal, they'll take stock and realize we are missing and they'll come and get us out."

Up in the Great hall, the students who had escaped the collapse were assembled there, looking scared and clutching each other for support as the heads of house took stock of their students so they could find out who was missing.

It was then that Dumbledore noticed an absence when his eyes fell upon the large group of Slytherins sitting around like lost sheep…with no shepherd.

"Where is Severus?" he asked McGonnigal as she checked the names of Gryffindor's off on her list.

"What? Severus?" She looked around and saw the majority of Slytherin house sitting at their table looking bewildered and a little worried, but remarkably unruffled.

"I don't know." She said frowning. "Philias, have you seen Severus?" She asked Flitwick.

"Last I saw him, he was heading to his office to mark papers.

Dumbledore and McGonnigal exchanged glances that spoke of their deep concern.

"Where's Mione!" Ron fretted, looking up and down the Gryffindor table.

"She was in Snape's office taking that photo book back to him wasn't she?!" Harry said sounding panicked. "They're saying the floor above is now in the dungeons!"

"Sweet Merlin!" Ron all but sobbed.

"Thank you for your patience. I need all of you to remain here while the other Professors and I incite a rescue mission for our missing people." Dumbledore announced before striding purposefully from the hall followed by the other Professors.

"We want to help!" Harry called desperately to Professor McGonnigal as she brushed past.

"No, it is too dangerous Potter!" McGonnigal told him firmly. "Stay here."

But Harry wouldn't stay. Neither would Ron for that matter.

"We're coming!" Ron declared to them all in the entrance hall.

McGonnigal was about to reply, but Dumbledore stopped her.

"Let them help Minerva, their dear friend is down there." He told her quietly.

Harry and Ron looked relieved.

"Professor, is there a chance that Hermione is…is…well…dead?" Harry asked hesitantly.

Dumbledore looked grave, but placed a hand bracingly on Harry's shoulder. "We must hope not Harry, we must hope not."

He then turned and started instructing the staff.

Flitwick, sprout, Sinistra and Trelawney clambered over the rubble that had replaced the floor of the library when it had collapsed into the dungeons and began moving the masonary.

The remaining professors and Hagrid, began moving the stones from the entrance to the dungeons.

Harry and Ron threw themselves into the task, feverently moving rubble and making quite substantial progress in a short time.

Within half an hour, they had dug their way through the blockage and made room to crawl through into a cavern.

They worked hard for another hour and at long last, spotted the doorway to Snape's office, the professor's name on a brass plaque.

"We found Professor Snape's office!" Harry called back to Dumbledore and McGonnigal who were watching anxiously as they levitated the masonary that Harry and Ron had tossed aside out of the way to make room so that they could join the two boys.

The door was still there, but upon pushing it, they found it to be stuck.

"I think it's jammed up with rocks!" Harry called to Dumbledore anxiously.

"Oh no!" Ron bleated woefully. "Mione!"

"We must go back to the entrance hall and see if Flitwick and Sprout have got any further. We won't be able to move that door!" Dumbledore instructed.

Reluctantly, Harry and Ron obeyed.

Inside the room, a soft moan responded to the muffled cry, unheard by the outside.

Hermione lay barely conscious, a piece of masonary having struck her on the head.

Next to her, Draco lay unmoving, his eyes closed, pale and still.

Opposite them, Snape on his stomach, his arm at an odd angle, surrounded by the splintered remains of his desk, the photos from his photobook lay scattered around him, moving pictures of a smiling Lily Evans.

Hermione moved her head slowly to the side as she came to, giving a moan of pain and confusion.

Her eyes fluttered open and she winced as she raised a hand to her head before giving out a sharp yelp as pain seared down her shoulder and arm.

She struggled but managed to sit up to see where she was.

Looking around in horror, she saw Draco and Professor Snape lying motionless beside her and rubble everywhere around them.  
It was then she realized that they were in some sort small cave of rubble, the ornate stone arches of Snape's office had sheltered them from being buried beneath it all, just giving them enough space to sit up.

Keeping her arm by her side, she crawled over to Draco and sobbed at the sight of him.

He had been struck on the head by something and blood was trickling from the wound on the side of his head.

"Draco…oh God, Draco!" she sobbed.

She lifted her tear filled eyes to check Snape.

She crawled over to him and watched for any signs of life, but she couldn't tell, her eyes were too blurred by tears.

She vaguely remembered watching a tv show in her childhood…her mother watched it every time it was on. The doctor in the show had checked for a pulse somewhere on the neck…yes, just beneath the ear.

She calmed herself sufficiently to place two shaky fingers beneath Snape's ear and waited to feel something move, but there was nothing.

Considering the fact that she may have not done it right, she resorted to an old fashioned method and leaned down by his head, her ear to his face and listened.

She sighed with relief. He was still breathing at least, albeit weakly. If she could get him to wake up, he could help Draco!

"Professor Snape!" She bleated shaking him gently. "Wake up…please wake up!"

She got no response, and so tried again, this time, a bit more hysterically.

"Professor Snape!" She all but squeaked. "You have to wake up! Draco is hurt Professor Snape…he's hurt…Professor…" her voice left her and she began sobbing again.

She crawled back over to Draco and sat sobbing over him.

After a while, when she could cry no more, she lay with her head on Draco's back and stared blankly at nothing. The silence surrounding her was almost unbearable, causing a sort of ringing in the ears.

Suddenly, a groan broke the stifling silence.

Hermione's heart leaped and she raised her head up from Draco's back so fast, her neck cracked.

"Professor Snape?" She said crawling over to him as he stirred.

"My head hurts." He whimpered pitifully before gasping in pain. "And my arm…I think it's broken…Oh God!"

"Professor Snape…Draco is…he's hurt Sir!" Hermione whimpered.

"What? Who?" Snape moaned, his hand going to a gash in his head before he looked at the blood on his fingers.

"Draco!" Hermione repeated.

"What about him?" Snape asked irritably.

"He's really hurt!" Hermione said tearfully.

Snape painfully maneuvered himself into a sitting position and looked around.

His hair was covered in dust as was his robes and he had a cut on his forehead, and another on his temple.

"Aren't we all hurt!?" Snape moaned, closing his eyes as the little cave spun around him. "I feel like I've been used as a human quaffle!"

"Well yes, but Draco hasn't moved or woken up yet!" Hermione explained worriedly. "I…I think he may be…" She sobbed. "Dead."

Snape looked over at Draco before crawling over to him. He checked all that he could with his medical training that came with being a Professor.

"Well, he's not dead, he's not doing terribly well but he'll hold until we get to Madam Pomfrey." Snape elabourated.

"How are we going to do that? There's no way out!" Hermione said sounding stressed.

"Calm down, we need to think clearly." Snape said wincing as his head gave a particularly violent throb. "We need our wands."

Hermione watched silently as Snape searched his robes. His hand grasped something and he pulled it out only to let out a horrified squawk.

"My wand…just look at my wand!" He lamented, his voice a sort of squeak, holding up his broken wand.

"It must have snapped in your pocket when you fell." Hermione said quietly, watching Snape as he gathered up the photos of Lily and put them inside his robes.

"Well, where's yours?" Snape demanded.

Hermione hung her head in shame. "I…I left it in my dormitory in Gryffindor tower."

"What?" Snape hissed. "Are you stupid girl? How many times have I and the other Professors told you students to always carry your wands!?"

Hermione winced as Snape ranted at her, but she took it silently.

"I'm sorry Professor." She said when he'd finished berating her. "I was just popping down here to give you your photo book back, and I didn't think I'd need…"  
"That's right you didn't think!" Snape snapped. "And see where it's got you…got us!"

Hermione's eyes filled with tears again, her lip wobbling. "I said I was sorry!" She cried at him.

"Don't give me tears." Snape hissed harshly. "Tears won't help us out of here!"

Hermione pulled herself together.

"Maybe Draco has his wand on him." She sniffled hopefully.

Snape nodded and crawled over to Draco and frisked the unconscious boy for his wand.

"Yes!" He said triumphantly "Draco you clever boy!"

A moment later, he held Draco's intact wand aloft.

"It's not my wand, but it'll do." Snape said decisively "Are you hurt?"

"My shoulder is…I think it's fractured…or maybe dislocated." Hermione answered.

Snape passed the wand over her shoulder and found the problem. He muttered a spell repeatedly, moving the wand over her shoulder in an intricate pattern.  
She felt warmth spread through her shoulder, and the pain ceased.

"Thanks Professor!" Hermione said relieved.

"That should hold it until we get to Madam Pomfrey." Snape told her "Now, we need to figure out a way out of here."

"What about your arm Professor?" Hermione asked quietly.

Snape stared at her. "What?"

"Your arm…you said it was broken." Hermione told him.

Snape surveyed her thoughtfully, looking as though he were weighing his options. Finally he spoke.

"Can you perform healing charms Miss Granger?"

"I can try Professor." Hermione replied calmly.  
Snape handed her Draco's wand and she moved closer and did her best.

Snape winced once or twice but his arm got fixed regardless.

"Not perfect, I felt some pain, but it worked. Thank you." Snape remarked bending his arm around…secretly impressed.

"Now back to finding a way out of here!" Snape said firmly.

"We could go up or towards the door." Hermione said.

"I know that, I'm not stupid!" Snape snapped.

Just then, Draco stirred.

Hermione and Snape watched him closely.

"OOOOOWWWW!!!" Draco wailed.

Hermione was at his side instantly.   
"Draco!" she cried happily helping him to roll over onto his back.

"What happened?" He mumbled, pressing a hand to his wounded head.

"There was an explosion and the ceiling collapsed in on us." Hermione explained.

"Well, there's something that doesn't happen every day." He quipped.

"SSH!" Snape said suddenly. "Listen."

They all held their breaths, listening hard.

There was a noise coming from the pile of rocks behind Snape.

"What is that?" Hermione whispered.

"Sounds like someone digging through to us." Draco whispered.

Snape, unnerved, moved to sit with the two students as they continued to listen.

They heard muffled voices.

"We must be close. Snape's office is right around here somewhere!" said one voice.

"There must have been an easier way than this!" complained another.

"Well it wasn't my idea was it! For all we know, the three of them could be dead!"

"Yes, well I don't suppose he thought of that really. You know how he is, he likes to make a point. It probably never occurred to him that this could potentially kill them!"

"That's all fine and well, but was this really necessary?"

"Who is it?" Hermione whispered.  
"Death Eaters." Snape whispered back.

"What?!!?" Draco squeaked.

"SHH!" Hermione and Snape hushed.

"What are we going to do Professor?!" Hermione whispered, starting to panic. "We're sitting ducks in here!"

"Start digging the other way. Chances are Dumbledore does not know they are here. The wards would have fallen along with the wall. I'm guessing they have only a short way to go before they dig through to us." Snape

replied turning and pulling rubble aside, digging his way to what he hoped was the door.

Hermione and Draco worked feverently with Snape, pulling rocks and rubble aside frantically.

Hermione whimpered as her fingers began to bleed.

"I think I've found it!" Draco whispered to the others after ten minutes.

"Clear a hole big enough to crawl through Draco, we'll have to blast a hole in the door."

"What if there's rubble on the other side of the door Professor?" Hermione fretted.

"Then we'll just have to dig through that too." Snape grunted, moving a particularly big piece of masonary aside.

Soon, they had cleared a hole, revealing the wood of the door.

Snape brandished Draco's wand and muttered a spell.

Green light flashed from the wand and bounced off of the door, leaving a small dent in the wood.

There was a noise from behind them. The voices were closer.

"Nearly there I think!"

"Yep, according to the map, we're about a foot from where Snape's desk is!"

Hermione whimpered fearfully, Draco looked helplessly at Snape.

Three more times, Snape tried to break the door with the spell, but it merely dented it more.

"Alright, we'll just have to kick it through. The spells should have weakened that spot, so kick as hard as you can!" He hissed at them.

They all kicked…and yelped…hopping around on one foot as they held the other in their hands as they kicked each other's feet.

"Not at the same time you fools!" Snape hissed at them, his own foot in his hand. "I'll go first then you Miss Granger, then you Draco!"

this agreed, they began to kick the door in turns.

They were about to give up when rubble started to move opposite them.

Freaking out somewhat, they kicked at the door desperately.

Suddenly, it gave way, creating a nice little hole to escape through. The other side was clear much to their delight.

"Quickly!" Snape urged, shoving Hermione through roughly.

She gave an indignant squeak as she landed and rolled on the other side.

Draco came tumbling out after and Snape followed him, squeezing himself through, but he got stuck, his tummy wouldn't go through!

Hermione and Draco grabbed his hands and pulled as hard as they could while Snape wriggled.

"Hold in your stomach Professor!" Hermione gasped as she pulled with all her might.

"Who ate all the pies?!" Draco quipped as he pulled his Godfather's arm.

Snape glared at him for a second before he came loose suddenly and tumbled forward, sending them all into a heap.

Hearing the sound of rubble falling into the room they'd left behind, they scrambled up.

Snape yelped as his robes were yanked about his neck, fearing for a moment that he'd been grabbed by his former colleagues! He realized instantly however that it was Hermione. She had gotten tangled in his robes.

"Get off of my robes you stupid girl!" He hissed at Hermione.

"I'm trying!" Hermione hissed back angrily. "Stop snapping and hissing at me!"

"Here, they've buggered off!" came the sound of a voice from within the hovel they had just escaped.

They all glanced at each other with wide eyes before hurriedly disentangling themselves and clambered over the rubble Harry and Ron had left behind in the wake of their digging.

"They aren't here?" One of the death eaters exclaimed in surprise looking in shock around the little hovel.

"Like I said, they've buggered off! Are you sure they were supposed to be here at that time?" questioned the other.

"Positive. The Irish kid was supposed to stall the girl until ten minutes before!" came the irritated reply. "It was timed perfectly!"

"Well, the dark lord's imperius curse isn't exactly the best in the world is it? I mean, look what happened with Lucius back in the beginning!"

"Got a point there." His comrade agreed. "He couldn't stop him doing the tango for weeks!"

"Well now what are we going to do?" the first deatheater asked.

"Dunno…should we try and find them?"

"What and get caught by that old codger Dumbledore? No way mate, I'm not going through that mistletoe lark again!" came the rebuffing response.

"Well we can't go back to him empty handed!" cried the first.

Meanwhile, the three escapees had made it to the entrance hall thanks to Harry and Ron's work.

They ran to the Great hall, stopping when there was no Dumbledore.

The bewildered students all pointed to the library.

"He's in there." Came the helpful hint from a ravenclaw student.

They turned and bolted for the library where the floor was rubble and the saw Mcgonnigal and Dumbledore standing looking down into a hole. The other professors were standing with a small gaggle of students who were sporting various injuries and more were being pulled from the rubble.

"Headmaster!" Snape gasped, clambering over the rocks to where the headmaster stood.

"SEVERUS!" McGonnigal screeched throwing herself onto Snape, almost bowling him over. "You're alright!"

"Get off me woman! This is an emergency!" Snape squawked shoving Mcgonnigal away leaving her to hug Hermione and Draco to within an inch of their lives.

"Headmaster, there are deatheaters in the castle!" Snape panted falling to his knees before Dumbledore as the room spun around him and his head throbbed.

Dumbledore beckoned him to go on, an anxious look on his aged face.

"We were trapped, rocks everywhere, we heard voices, something about not being their idea and how he likes to make a point, Lucius, tango, we dug our way out, fingers bleeding, Granger on my robes, I can't breathe!" Snape panted.

"You look very pale severus…you need to see poppy." Dumbledore said soothingly. "Don't worry about the death eaters, we'll take care of it."

"I'll escort them Albus." McGonnigal said helping Snape to his feet, allowing him to lean on her for support. "Come Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy. You all need the nurse."

They obeyed, their injuries overcoming them in the wake of the adrenaline rush of escaping capture. They were in no position to argue.

They staggered into the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey greeted them.

Within moments the three were lying in beds along with several other injured students.

Madam Pomfrey assessed their injuries, determining that they had all received quite a bump to their heads, but they were not too serious, and insisted that they stayed overnight so she could keep an eye on them.

"Does Albus know what caused it?" Pomfrey asked Snape as she tended his bleeding head.

"Yes, deatheaters." Snape murmured to the nurse.

Madam Pomfrey went very pale. "How do you know Severus?" she whispered.

"We heard them digging through the rubble when we were in my office…or what's left of it. This was most certainly their doing!" Snape replied wincing as she dabbed his wound with a healing salve.

"Why on earth would they do it?" the nurse wondered out loud.

"Albus knows everything…he'll tell the staff what's going on." Snape sighed heavily as he let his head fall back onto the pillows.

"Madam Pomfrey?" A boy asked worriedly from the bed opposite.

"Yes Peter dear?" the nurse asked as she removed Snape's shoes to make him more comfortable.

"I…I can't feel my legs!" The boy squeaked.

Madam Pomfrey was over to his bed like a shot and drew the curtain around it.

"That didn't sound too good." Draco remarked, feeling sorry for Peter.

"Peter Grimshaw, Ravenclaw." Snape elabourated. "He would have been in the library. I think he lives there, I never see him anywhere else outside of class!"

"Poor thing!" Hermione said tearfully. The emotions related to the event that had almost killed them had finally hit home. "He would have fallen through the floor!" At this she burst into tears.

Draco and Snape looked at each other and grimaced.

"There there, Miss Granger, I'm sure he'll be put to rights." Snape told her dismissively.

"I hate him!" Hermione suddenly hissed. "I hate him so much! I want him dead!"

Draco gaped at her. "Well now that's hardly fair! Just because he may have lost the use of his legs, doesn't mean we should despise and do away with him!"

"Not Peter!" Hermione snapped through her tears. "Voldemort! He's such a pig!"

Snape snorted. "Is that the best you can do Miss Granger to insult him?"

Hermione glared at him.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for glaring disrespectfuly at a professor!" Snape said snidely.

Hermione's jaw dropped in disbelief. After what the school and students and the three of them had just been through, he was still docking points???

"You are the most…you're just…I've never been so…you…" Hermione was so mad she couldn't speak! Finally she got her meaning across however in a few short and to the point words and pointing her finger at him accusingly, she announced. "You suck!"

Snape blinked at her, unimpressed. "Again… is that the best you've got?"

"Are you trying to get maimed?" Draco asked him. "She's no kitten when she really gets going you know! She has some serious claws!"

"She doesn't scare me!" Snape sniffed "I worked for the dark lord!"

"Why are we fighting? We need to stop the idiot from destroying Hogwarts!" Hermione hissed suddenly.

"This wasn't done to destroy the school." Snape sighed lethargically.

"Then what on earth did he blow half the castle up for!?" Hermione demanded.

"To get to us!" Snape answered simply.

Draco and Hermione exchanged glances.

"What?" They said in unison.

Snape sighed longsufferingly. "Isn't it painfully obvious? They were digging through to my office, where they planned that we would be!"

"What makes you think that they planned this?" Draco asked.

"Only the conversation that they were having whilst digging through to get to us!" Snape said getting angry at the two's lack of logic and understanding.

"Weren't you two listening?!"

"Sorry Professor," Hermione said sarcastically "We were a bit preoccupied with TRYING TO FLEE FOR OUR LIVES!!!"

"Miss Granger! That is no way to talk to a Professor!" Madame Pomfrey admonished from behind the curtains surrounding Peter.

Snape smirked.

Hermione resisted the urge to send him a glare such as the world has never seen before, and contented herself with picking at her bedclothes and picturing each ball of fluff as Snape's head as she ripped it off of the blankets.

It was going to be a long night.


	29. Chapter 29

The next morning brought the news that they could leave the hospital wing after getting the all clear from Madam Pomfrey.

They trooped along to the great hall for breakfast.

Classed had been canceled due to the damage to the library and dungeons. Nobody complained…not even Hermione.

Ron and Harry greeted Hermione joyfully as she took her place beside them at the Gryffindor table.

"How are you feeling Mione?" Harry asked.

"Much better thanks Harry." Hermione smiled.

"Do we know what caused it all?" Ron asked around a mouthful of scrambled eggs.

"Deatheaters." Hermione said in a low voice.

Ron choked on his eggs.

"What?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"Yes," Hermione said grimly. "They had come for Draco, Snape and I."

"But I thought he had given up on you lot after what happened last time!" Ron whispered.

"Are you forgetting the letter he sent to Professor Snape after the last time?" Harry asked his bottomless pit of a friend.

"Oh yeah." Ron remembered. "Well, didn't get you though did he? So he might give up this time."

"What made him think that blowing up the castle was any way to get to you without drawing attention?" Harry asked Hermione incredulously.

"I don't think he cared about drawing attention." Hermione answered.  
"Or maybe he was just being really dense." Harry suggested snorting.

Suddenly Hermione gasped. "Look! Professor Snape's getting an owl!"

They all looked up at the teacher's table and watched as the black owl dropped a letter into Snape's breakfast and a dropping in his coffee before flying off.

Snape looked disgusted and pushed his coffee away before picking up the letter, brushing scrambled egg from the envelope and opening it.

His black eyes scanned the letter and he then rolled his eyes before getting up and whispering into Dumbledore's ear.

The Headmaster nodded and proceeded to eat his breakfast.

"Maybe it's not from Voldemort." Ron whispered.

"Who else writes to Snape? His mother??" Harry hissed.

"Maybe she does!" Ron shot back hotly.

"Don't be ridiculous Ron, his mother died 8 years ago!" Harry snapped.

They engaged in a heated debate about Snape's mother.

Hermione tuned them out as she ate her breakfast in silence, deep in thought.

Voldemort would no doubt try again…he was just that stupid and that was all there was to that.

Dumbledore ate his breakfast in deep thought and Snape scowled into his irritably not eating any more.

When they were done, and Harry and Ron continued to argue about Snape's mother, the Headmaster and Snape approached the three. Snape beckoned to Draco too and the group left the great hall.

"Professor Snape has received another letter from the dark lord." Dumbledore informed them quietly.

"See? I told you it wasn't from his mother!" Harry told Ron triumphantly.

Snape glared at the two boys, silencing them.

"What does he say now?" Draco asked, rolling his eyes.

Snape cleared his throat, opening the letter with a flourish and began to read.

"Dear Severus,

I apologise for blowing up your office, but it had to be done…alas all to no avail as you appeared to have not been there at the time…fret not however, I shall make another attempt soon. As for you Severus, Miss Granger and Young Malfoy…"

"Someone's been using a dictionary!" Dumbledore mused in irony.

Harry and Ron snorted a laugh.

"…Beware! I shall come upon you all when you last expect it…" Snape continued, frowning at the word last as it made no sense.

"I think he means 'least'." Hermione said peering at the letter over Snape's shoulder on tiptoe.

"…and then we shall see who's the man won't we? Oh yes…I think so! MWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!!!!…"  
"That was a good evil laugh Professor!" Draco praised, impressed.

Snape continued to read aloud.

"Haaahahaaa!!!! So there. How do you like them apples…See you soon Sevvie…sleep tight, Mwahhahaaaaahahahahahaha!…P.S, Tell Potter he's next. (Insert evil laugh here cuz I can't be bothered to write all of those Mwaahaaa's again!)

Lots of love,

Lord Voldemort. XXX"

They all stared at one another for a moment before making comments.

"That is the worst written letter I've ever heard read aloud!" Dumbledore remarked "Puts Hogwarts to shame!"

"And what was with all the evil laughing?" Hermione wondered.

"So he's going to attempt to kidnap us again?" Draco snorted "What a inconveniencing git!"

"I'm getting boooorrreedd!" Harry stated rolling his eyes.

"Do you think he'll blow part of the castle up again?" Ron wondered, picking his ear.

"He'd need inside help like he had last time!" Hermione replied frowning. "He used Seamus last time…poor thing."  
"Yes that was most unfortunate. Mr Finnegan had been wandering around under the Imperius curse unnoticed by any of us…we must keep a better watch on that in the future." Dumbledore mused sadly. "I don't think he would attempt such a feat again. Tom is not one who repeats things…however having failed twice, I'm seeing a pattern of density occurring. The more attempts there are, the stupider he gets!"

"So what are we going to do about this?" Hermione asked with a longsuffering sigh.

"Keep a look-out I expect." Snape answered.

"Yes…that's what we'll do. Be extra vigilant. There is no telling to which depths his stupidity will extend." Dumbledore advised. "Think outside intelligence if you will."

"This is getting ridiculous!" Snape spat. "Why doesn't he just give up!"

"Because he's stupid!" Came the chorus of replies.

"Well I suggest we get back to our day…can't let this ruin it by any means." Dumbledore said cheerfully. "Just be vigilant."

This agreed on, they went their separate ways to go about their day.

It went without a hint of stupidity…save for Neville of course, but on the whole, no Voldemort stupidity.

That evening, everyone was in the Great hall having dinner and enjoying the stupid free evening that came with their stupid free day.

Suddenly, the castle door bell rang.

"I wonder who that could be!" Dumbledore wondered, "Severus, go and see who is at the door."

"Minerva, go and see who's at the door." Snape said.

"Pomera, go and see who's at the door" McGonnigall said.

"Philias get the door." Sprout said.

"Watson, go answer the door! Use the peephole!" Flitwick called to a third year Ravenclaw student.

The boy got up and ran out of the Great hall to see who was at the door.

He returned a moment later looking very pale and shaking as he walked up to the staff table and stopped in front of Snape and McGonnigall.

"P..please Professor Snape…it's for you!" he squeaked.

Snape rolled his eyes and stood, throwing down his napkin irritably before stalking through the Great hall and out into the entrance hall where the bell rang again.

"Alright I'm coming!" He snapped waving his wand, making the huge locks unlock. A minute later, he turned the handle and opened the door and blanched.

"So soon?" he deadpanned. "I wasn't expecting you for at least a week."

"It must have been that stupid owl!" Voldemort said sagely. "He's new you know, can't find a person to save himself. Anyhoo, we are here to take you away."

"If it's all the same, I'd rather stay here thank you." Snape quipped.

"No, I'm afraid you must come with us." Voldemort insisted politely.

"Go away." Snape said flatly, closing the door in Voldemort's face.

He turned to go back to dinner when there was a knock at the door.

Grinding his teeth, he turned back to the door and opened it again.

"We don't want any, go away!" Snape snarled.

"That was very rude Severus." Voldemort chided. "We aren't leaving until you come out with Miss Granger and Young Mr Malfoy."

"Now who's being rude!" Snape pointed out sagely. "You aren't getting what you want so you might as well go back to your lair!"

"If you don't come quietly, I shall have to use force!" Voldemort threatened shaking his fist in warning.

"Bring it on. We have mistletoe!" Snape spat. "You remember what happened last time you stormed the castle?"

"Ah, but that's not going to be a problem this time. I thought about that, and I have with me some new recruits!" Voldemort said sounding quite pleased with himself, before leaning in closer and holding a hand up by his mouth as if not wishing to be overheard.

"Their bread is buttered on the other side if you know what I mean!"

Snape's lip curled. "How…well planned."

"Thank you, I thought of it all myself!" Voldemort beamed proudly. "Now come along, I don't have all night!"

"I thought I made myself quite clear before! We are not coming with you!" Snape said sharply.

"Right, you leave me no choice!" Voldemort said. "Get them boys! And no inappropriate touching!"

Snape slammed the door shut, waving his wand, sending the locks into action before turning and walking quickly into the great hall and whispering in Dumbledore's ear.

"Oh…I wasn't expecting him to do anything for at least a week!" the Headmaster remarked in mild surprise.

"He said the owl was new and must have gotten lost." Snape supplied.

"Well, come along, bring Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy." He said getting up and walking from the great hall.

Frowning, Snape did as he was told and retrieved Draco and Hermione and took them to the entrance hall.

Dumbledore stood facing them, his back to the doors as they lined up in front of him.

"Well, once again we have Voldemort in our midst." He said sounding bored. "Wands out then…"

they did as they were told and stood, wands at the ready as Dumbledore threw open the doors.

Voldemort had his back turned and spun around when the doors had opened.

"Ah…Dumbledore!" He greeted, fingering his wand. "Didn't see you there."

"Good evening Tom. I gather you have come for these three?"

"Indeed I have, as I warned in my letter!" Voldemort replied.

"You want them…" Dumbledore said raising his wand "Come and claim them!"

Voldemort looked put out. "Not a duel!" he whined gesturing for his deatheaters to gather about him and fight.

"Wait, this isn't going to be a gory battle is it?" Asked one. "I just had these robes dry cleaned!"

"Shut up and fight you idiot!" Voldemort hissed.

"Wait just a moment!" Dumbledore called remembering something.

He waved his wand at the doors to the great hall and a silencing charm was up.

"Don't want to disturb dinner." He told the bewildered and unwelcome guests.

"Nobody do anything messy!" The first deatheater said firmly.

"Oh for the love of…" Snape muttered before firing the first curse.

It hit the whining deatheater in the chest, blasting him backwards into the night.

Draco fired the next one, and then Hermione threw a curse at Voldemort to ducked as it sailed over his head.

"That wasn't very clever of you my girl!" he snarled.

"Yes it was, and I'm not your girl!" Hermione spat, aiming at him again.

"I am going to knock you all out!" Said one of the deatheaters.

"Bring it on!" Draco challenged.

There was a flash of blue light and everything went black.

"Ow, what happened?" Hermione's voice said groggily.

"I have no idea!" Draco answered just as groggily.

"Where's Dumbldedore?" Snape voice asked in the darkness.

"Why is it so dark?" Hermione asked.

"I don't like this." Draco declared.

"Where are we anyway?" Hermione whispered sitting up and looking around, peering into the darkness.

"Well wherever it is, it's dark, cold and smells disgusting!" Draco replied disdainfully.

Suddenly, there was a loud clanking sound and torchlight fell into what was now identified to be some sort of cell.

"Awake are we, its about time. You are expected upstairs." A voice behind the torchlight said gruffly.

"Oh this is just marvelous!" Snape said sarcastically. "It seems we are in the Dark Lord's lair again…only this time, he has us in the dungeons as opposed to the comfortable rooms we had on the previous visit."

"WHAT?!" Draco and Hermione squawked, clutching each other for support.

"How?" Hermione cried, confused.

"I don't know…the last thing I remember is dueling beside Dumbledore and then a flash of light…and then…nothing." Snape replied.

"As nice as it is that you are all trying to figure it out, the Dark Lord awaits you…he doesn't like to be kept waiting." The deatheater said sarcastically.

"Well lets get this over with." Snape said dully.

"I'm not going anywhere near him!" Hermione said defiantly. "They'll have to drag me there kicking and screaming!"

"That can easily be arranged!" The death eater answered. "We like 'em feisty!"

Five minutes later saw Draco and Snape walking in chains and a screaming, kicking Hermione being dragged along by two death eaters beside them.

They were brought into the black marble hall where Voldemort sat on his 'throne' and thrown carelessly on the floor before him.

"Gently!" Draco complained, wiggling his way to a sitting position.

Hermione, who had been screaming the whole way, let out an indignant shriek as she landed hard on the other side of Snape.

"Well well well, what have we here?" Voldemort smirked. "A pureblood casanova, a traitor and a mudblood!"

they all frowned at his description of Draco.

"Do you even know what a Casanova is?" Snape enquired, his lip curled.

"Yes…of course I do…it's….it's…" Voldemort said struggling to think.

The three waited, eyebrows raised sarcastically.

"Shall I tell you?" Snape offered rolling his eyes.

"You may." Voldemort said in a barely audible and reluctant voice.

"A Casanova is a man or boy who is, more or less, a womanizer." Snape informed him. "Draco is nothing of the sort, I assure you."

"Whatever, he is what I say he is." Voldemort sniffed.

He was met with three eyerolls.

"Now, what am I going to do with you three I wonder!" Voldemort mused, surveying the three.

"How about letting us go!?" Hermione snapped.

Voldemort looked at her suspiciously for a moment before his face broke into a knowing smirk and he wagged his finger at her.

"Clever Miss Granger…but not clever enough! You almost had me fooled there, but I am to clever for you!"

Snape goggled at him. "What are you talking about!?" he squawked.

"She tried to trick me into letting you go!" Voldemort smirked. "But I saw it before I fell for it!"

"For the love of Merlin!" Draco wailed. "We're captives to an idiot who's stupidity rival's Longbottom's!"

"I remember the longbottoms!" Voldemort piped. "Nice couple," he leaned forward and whispered, "Although, they were a bit touched in the head if you know what I mean."

"Yes…after you crucio'd them to insanity!" Snape snapped.

"How do you know about that!?" Voldemort hissed.  
"I was there!!!" Snape growled in frustration.

"And everyone knows that!" Hermione added waspishly.

"Good, that should keep them fearing for their sanity's when I'm around then!" Voldemort said cheerfully.

"My Lord…" a death eater said coming forward, bowing lowly.

"Father?" Draco said sounding disdainful. Why would his father bow to such an idiot? Could he not see that Voldemort was nothing but a really stupid, really gullable git?

"Draco, be quiet!" Lucius snapped. "My Lord, what do you plan to do with these…captives?"

"Oh yes…well…I'm not sure right now..I'll have to think about it."

"We'll be here forever then?" Hermione sneered.

"Did she just sass me?" Voldemort asked Lucius.

"Yes, my lord I think she did!" Lucius answered, glaring at Hermione.

"How dare you sass me you little worm!" Voldemort thundered, standing up in his rage.

"Because I can!" Hermione yelled back, getting to her feet and getting in Voldemort's face.

"You want a piece of this?" Voldemort said getting back in her face.

"Maybe I do!" Hermione spat.

"Well I'm sorry, but I'm dating Bellatrix!" Voldemort snapped. "So too bad!"

Hermione blinked in surprise for a moment. Clearly they had not been on the same wavelength.

"Okay…EW! I didn't mean a piece of you that way!" She told him.

"Oh?" Voldemort said, nonexistent eyebrows raised. "What did you mean?"

Hermione kicked him in the shin.

Voldemort let out a yelp and hopped on one leg as he rubbed his shin

"Go Hermione!" Draco cheered and Snape clapped briefly.

"That's it missy! You just earned yourself another wedding!" Voldemort snarled. "Take them away!"

They were dragged back out of the room only to be brought back in by the four death eaters.

"Erm…where shall we take them to my lord?" one asked.

"Take them to the dungeons. They can spend the night there thinking about what they've done!" Voldemort snapped.

They were dragged back out and down to the dungeons and flung carelessly into the same cell they'd been dragged out of before.

"Gently!" Draco snapped.

"Now you three just stay there and think about what you've done!" one of the death eaters scolded.

"Yes dad!" Snape sneered sarcastically.

"No dinner for you!" He was promptly told.

Snape glared as the door slammed shut, plunging them into darkness again.

"Well this sucks!" Hermione remarked.

Draco and Snape could hear the pout in her voice.

"Indeed." Draco agreed.

They sat in silence for they didn't know how long before the door was opened again and two burly death Eaters entered.

They grabbed Snape and dragged him from the cell and shut the door again without a word.

Hermione and Draco sat frightened. Where were they taking him? What were they going to do to him?

"Draco…" Hermione said in a frightened whisper. "They took Professor Snape!"

"I know…I'm right here." Draco whispered back. "I wonder where they are taking him."

"I'm not sure I want to know what they have planned for him!" Hermione said shuddering.

She heard Draco moving over to her, feeling for her in the dark.

He found her and wrapped his arms around her comfortingly. "Don't worry, he can take care of himself."

"With a wand, yes." Hermione countered "We don't have our wands with us."

Suddenly, the door was flung open again and they saw by the light from the torches the death eater's carried, Snape being flung back in.

He landed on his stomach with a grunt.

"Excuse me, can we have a torch or something in here, we can't see a thing!" Hermione said coldly to the two men.

They exchanged consulting glances before putting a torch in the bracket on the wall, basking the cell in a cosy glow.

The two men left, slamming the door behind them.

Hermione peered at Snape then gasped.

"What did they do to you?!"

Draco gaped at the black eye and bruised lip. "They beat you up?"

"Yes…and more!" Snape stated bitterly.

"More?" Hermione echoed with some trepidition.

"Yes. They made me drink a potion." Snape answered quietly.

He was staring at Hermione with a strange expression on his face.

"What sort of potion?" Hermione whispered anxiously.

"I don't know." Snape answered frowning. "Its not one I can recognize…it must have been created by someone in the dark lord's ranks. It tasted sweet…almost like honey."

"Why would they make you drink a potion?" Draco wondered aloud.

"Perhaps they are testing it on you!" Hermione suggested worriedly. "If it's a potion unknown to you, it's obviously not legalized by the Ministry Of Magic!"

Draco nodded in agreement. "That must be it. What else could it be? Are you experiencing any effects so far?"

Snape shook his head. "No…nothing I'm aware of at least."

"Well then, it can't have been effective then." Draco said relaxing.

"Well I suggest we all try and get some sleep." Hermione said decisively and with a yawn.

Draco agreed and they curled up next to each other for warmth and security.

Snape lay down opposite them and shut his eyes too.

They awoke some hours later…they had no way of telling what time it was.

They heard voices outside of the cell.

"Has it worked yet?"

"We don't know, we haven't checked him yet!"

"Well do it! The dark lord awaits the response!"

"A love potion can take any number of minutes…days even weeks to take effect! Snape told us this himself a few years back when the Dark lord had a crush on Narcissa and demanded one to be used on her."

"Well this one had better have worked by the time I open that door to check!"

The three prisoners exchanged glances.

"Love potion!" Hermione whispered worriedly. "Professor Snape, they gave you a love potion! Has it worked?"

"No!" Snape hissed back indignantly. "I think whoever created this potion was completely inept at Potions making!"

"I have an idea!" Draco whispered suddenly. "We don't have much time to work it all out but why don't you pretend it has worked? Make them think it has…lure them into a false sense of security and then…we strike!!!" he emphasized the striking with his fist slamming into his palm.

"Are you insane!?" Snape hissed. "I'm not going to act all gooey over Miss Granger-"

"Do you have any better ideas?" Draco hissed.  
"SHH!" Hermione said as the door was unbolted.

"Fine, but this never leaves this evil lair!" Snape hissed at Draco before turning to stare at Hermione as the door opened.

The two death eaters stood staring at the three for a moment before eyeballing Snape closely…searching for some sign of love sickness.

Inwardly cringing, Snape arranged his features into what he had seen on the faces of his lovesick students.

"I think he's under!" One of the death eaters said triumphantly.

"We can't be sure…lets ask him some questions." The other suggested.  
Snape wanted to smack him one.

"Get the girl." The death eater ordered the first.

Hermione was grabbed and dragged towards Snape.

"Well Severus, what do you think of this little blossom?" the death eater holding Hermione patronized.

"Let me go you inbreed!" Hermione spat, struggling to be let loose.

"She's…captivating!" Snape replied, his stomach knotting up as he simpered the words, sounding as lovesick as possible.

The death eaters laughed.

"Lets go and tell the dark lord it worked!"

They dropped Hermione unceremoniously onto the floor and left the cell, slamming the door and cackling with glee.

Snape scowled. "I can't believe I just said that."

"Neither can I!" Hermione and Draco chimed flatly.

"This had better work Draco!" Snape warned darkly. "Because if it doesn't…"

"I know I know…You'll chop me up into tiny pieces and owl me to my mother!" Draco droned. It will work…I'm certain of it."

"It had better." Snape growled.


	30. Chapter 30

The two deatheaters happily made their way back up to Voldemort, glad to be bringing him some good news for a change.

they approached the dark lord, who was it seemed, unaware of their presence as he picked his nose.

One of the deatheaters cleared his throat and Voldemort almost fell out of his throne with surprise before glaring down at his minions.

"Don't sneak up on me like that…I could have killed you.!" he admonished.

"Sorry my lord, but we bring good news!" One Deatheater told him.

"Good news? Tell me more!" Voldemort said eagerly. He didn't get good news too often. It was really quite sad.

"The potion you told us to give Severus has worked! He is completely besotted with the Granger girl!" The second deatheater said gleefully, doing a little jig.

"Oh that is fantastic!" Voldemort cheered. "This I have to see for myself…bring them up here!"  
"Yes my lord!" The two deatheaters chorused before bounding off to carry out their appointed task.

In their cell, the three prisoners awaited the result of their trick.

The cell door was opened and the two deatheaters entered looking smug.

"You two are to come with us." one said grabbing Hermione's arm and pulling her to her feet while the other took hold of Snape and they dragged the two from the cell leaving Draco to stare after them anxiously.

As they were dragged up to the great hall, Hermione struggled hard, grabbing hold of doorways, doorhandles etc but inevitably was pulled along anyway.

Snape followed behind her, gazing at her with a lovesick look on his face, sighing at random intervals.

"Isn't she amazing?" he cooed to his captor.

"Oh yes, she's a fine figure of a woman!" The Deatheater agreed.

They arrived at the great hall and shoved rather roughly in front of Voldemort.

The dark lord sat looking down at them with a simpering look on his ugly face.

"Putting up a fight again Miss Granger? You are quite the feisty one aren't you?" Voldemort mused.

"She's pretty too!" Snape sighed, gazing adoringly at Hermione who looked weirded out.

Voldemort grinned the biggest grin ever to grace the face of an evil dark lord type person.

"Tea Miss Granger?" he said suddenly, conjuring a cup.

"No thank you." Hermione snapped.

"Well, that complicates things a bit…hold her down!" Voldemort said lazily.

Hermione was immediately seized by two burly deatheaters and pinned.

Voldemort stood up and approached her, a vial of purple potion in his hand. "Say 'Ah'" he said smirking.

Hermione's head was held in place and Voldemort grasped her jaw, forcing her to open her mouth before tipping the potion into her mouth.

She held it in her mouth, glaring defiantly at Voldemort who merely chuckled before whipping out his wand so suddenly, she gasped and practically inhaled the potion.

After choking and gasping for a moment, she glared up at the dark lord.

"What did you give me?" She demanded.

"The same thing we gave Severus…enjoy!" Voldemort said lightly, sitting back down on his throne.

"My love!" Snape cried to Hermione "Are you alright?"

"Professor Snape, I am not your love! And I'm fine." Hermione said patiently, inwardly wincing at the term of endearment Snape had chosen to use.

"It will take a good hour before the effects will take place." Voldemort said waving them away.

The two deatheaters dragged them back to the cell and pushed them in, locking the door and walking away.

"This is abominable!" Snape grouched.

"Were you convincing enough?" Draco asked.

"Yes, none of them suspected he was faking." Hermione sighed "But now we have more of a problem!"

"Why? What happened?" Draco asked anxiously.

"They forced the same potion I was given into Miss Granger." Snape said irritably.

"I suppose they really want to make sure you two get married…" Draco said with a longsuffering sigh. "Well, Hermione love, you are going to have to act along with it too!"  
Hermione stared at Draco in disbelief. "You have got to be kidding!"  
Before Draco could answer, Snape piped up.

"Hey! If I have to act like a simpering lovesick fool, so do you!" he said moodily.

"Right, so what's the plan now?" Hermione demanded.

"Same as it was before." Draco said calmly "This new thing changes nothing. You just have to act in love instead of repulsed."  
Hermione said nothing, but they could tell she was thinking something.

Her two companions didn't push her to find out why.

Twenty Minutes passed in relative silence…that was until it was broken by a muffled amorous sound.

"Stop that!" Snape snapped.

"Stop what?" Draco asked innocently.

"Don't act all innocent!" Snape warned. "This is neither the time nor place to be loving it up!"

"But Professor, we aren't doing anything!" Hermione said truthfully.

"We'll, we're snuggling, but not anything else!" Draco said.

"I heard you!" Snape hissed.

Silence fell before more amorous sounds were heard.

"See? You're at it again!" Snape snapped.

"Professor, I swear, we aren't making that sound!" Hermione whispered.

"Its coming from outside the cell!" Draco whispered.

They all listened hard and sure enough it was indeed coming from outside the cell.

The sound of one of them getting up and creeping toward the door of the cell was heard.

It was Hermione. She got up on tiptoe to peer out of the tiny slat in the door into the dimly lit corridor.

She withdrew hastily and sat back down.

"What did you see?" Draco asked in a whisper.

"That was so gross…just unbelievably gross!" Hermione whispered sounding thoroughly grossed out.

"What did you see?" Snape demanded in a whisper.

"Voldemort and…Bellatrix…kissing quite enthusiastically." Hermione whispered with a shiver.

"I agree…that is gross." Draco agreed. "Wait until her husband finds out!"

"He knows." Snape informed him flatly.

"Really? Wow, I had him pegged for the jealous type!" Draco mused.

"There isn't much you can do when it's the dark lord after your wife!" Hermione said, disgusted.

They all froze as Voldemort's voice was heard.

"Later my dear, later…right now I must check to see if the Granger girl has succumbed to the potion."

"Quick!" Draco hissed, shoving Hermione toward Snape.

"This sucks so much!" Hermione grumbled as she moved closer to Snape.

Snape grabbed her hand and clasped it 'adoringly' in his.

The door opened and light flooded the room revealing Snape and Hermione looking adoringly into each other's eyes and Draco in the corner looking devastated.

"Why Draco, you look so sad…whatever is wrong?" Voldemort cooed mockingly.

"M…my Hermione…my love…is…is in love with Professor Snape!" Draco hiccoughed. "I…I don't understand! I thought we would be together forever!"

"Women are soooo fickle aren't they?" Voldemort said condescendingly "One minute they're melting in your arms, and the next they're off with some other smoothe talking romeo! It all comes down to power of persuasion, Draco…ladies are weak…easily swayed into the arms of another. Sad but true!"

Draco pretended to bite back tears and turned away to face the wall, his shoulders shaking.

Voldemort tutted pityingly as he turned to observe Snape and Hermione.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" Snape purred.

Hermione pretended to blush shyly.

"Awww. isn't that sweet?" Voldemort cooed. "Makes you feel all warm and gooey inside! This calls for some love music!"

Voldemort flicked his wand, and the song "Evergreen" Began.

Snape took a moment to wince before covering it with a simpering smile.

"Do you hear music my love?" Hermione breathed, gazing into Snape's eyes.

"I do my sweet." Snape breathed back "Tis the music of our love…come, let us dance!"

Hermione could have kicked him for that…but she went along…she had to.

They rose and swept off into a slow dance around the cell.

"Excellent." Voldemort remarked evilly before departing from the cell and locking the door behind him.

As soon as he was gone, Snape and Hermione leapt apart.

"Let us dance!?" Hermione hissed at Snape.

"There was music!" He hissed back. "He obviously wanted to see what we'd do!"

Hermione sighed. "I don't think I can take much more of this." She declared.

She felt arms wrap themselves around her and she recognised the scent of Draco and snuggled into his embrace.

"Just hang in there for a little bit longer love." he told her softly, planting a kiss on her forehead. "he's bound to want to have you both married as soon as possible before the potion wears off!"

"Thank you Draco, that is so very comforting!" Snape sneered sarcastically.

But they all knew he was right…it was just a matter of time before Voldemort hauled them both up to be married so he could finally carry out his evil scheme.

They sincerely hoped the Order were on their way…again.


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related. I do not own Phantom Of The Opera, and must give full credit to Andrew Lloyd Webber, one of my favourite composers of all time, for the amazing musical used in this chapter. He is not a dark wizard of course…just so ya know!

(A/N: Hey everyone, this is a rather long chapter, but I have to say, it was a lot of fun to write! Enjoy!)

Meanwhile, at Hogwarts.

"Are you sure that this isn't a time lapse or something?" Tonks said warily. "I mean, think about it…once again, we have to go and rescue Hermione, Draco and Sev from certain marriage and, in Draco's case, initiation and, once again, we have to go and find evil git's castle…it's getting repetitive!"

"Alas Nymphadora, it is not a time lapse." Dumbledore answered "Now, you all remember where Tom's castle is I trust?"

"Yes, of course we do!" Mad Eye Moody said irritably "It just takes so long to get there!"

"Albus," Molly Weasley said fretfully "what if we are too late?"

Dumbledore looked grim "Then we will have to cross that bridge when we get to it."

This didn't pacify Molly who stood looking worried beside her husband and Ron and Harry.

"So, can I kick Voldemort's butt this time?" Harry asked eagerly. "I think I'm ready this time…I really do!"

"Patience Harry, patience!" Dumbledore soothed. "Your time to kick some evil lord's posterior will come."

Ron high fived Harry.

"What we need to focus on is getting there before the marriage and initiation takes place!" Mad Eye said gruffly. "Let's go!"

"Just a moment, I need to take my potion!" Lupin said digging around in his robes. "Where is it? I'm sure I put it in here…ah…that's not good."

"What?" the order chorused warily.

"Severus was supposed to make that potion for me last night. He got kidnapped and so…didn't make the potion…this isn't good." Lupin said fretfully. "It's a full moon Albus!"

"Perhaps your werewolf status will come in useful at Tom's place." Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "You can maul some death eaters!"

"Along with everyone else!" Lupin squawked. "It's not safe for me to go Albus…I'll end up killing everyone!"

"nonsense, you'll be fine." Tonks said dismissively.

"Let's hear you say that when I'm tearing your throat out with my teeth!" Lupin retorted.

Tonks grinned mischeviously "Ooh I love it when you talk rough!" she winked seductively for emphasis.

Lupin blushed and looked around surreptuously.

"Nymphadora…not in front of the others!" he hissed at her.

"Moving swiftly on…" Dumbledore said casting Lupin and Tonks a suspicious look before turning his attention back to the Order who stood watching him.

"Miss Granger and company are in very grave danger…if they are married before we get there, the results will be devastating to the wizarding world…well at least their offspring will be."

"Just a moment, who said anything about them having a kid!?" Ron squawked.

"That is Voldemort's plan Mr Weasley, that is the whole reason he wants Professor Snape and Miss Granger to marry! To produce and heir for him to succeed him in taking over the Wizarding world!" Dumbledore told Ron, surprised that he hadn't gotten that memo. "Then, once the child is born, Professor Snape and Miss Granger will no doubt be disposed of."

Ron looked bewildered. "Nobody told me about this!"  
Harry looked embarrassed at Ron's lack of knowledge. "Ron, remember when Hermione came back last time…she told us what Voldemort had planned? And remember Professor Snape saying that he'd no doubt try again?"  
Ron looked blank for a moment before realisation dawned on his face. "Oh yeah! So that's what his game is is it? Well what are we standing around here for!? We have to rescue Mione!"

Shaking their heads in incredulous disbelief of Ron's dimness, the Order prepared to leave on their rescue mission.

"Sev had better wait for us this time instead of escaping unaided and getting back here just as we arrive. Pointless journeys make me grumpy!" Tonks grumbled as she trooped out of the castle with the others.

Meanwhile, in their cell, the prisoners sat in silence, dreading what was to come.

"Professor, do you think the Order will get here in time?" Hermione asked worriedly. "They cut it pretty fine last time…and the first time, they didn't get here at all!"

"Granted, Miss Granger, they have a rather bad track record at this rate. I am inclined to wait and see. There is little else we can do being wandless." Snape answered.

"I wonder where my father is." Draco mused. "I haven't seen him since we were brought here."

"He's probably looking forward to your initiation." Hermione snorted.

"Stupid initiation!" Draco grumbled.

"Someone's coming!" Hermione whispered frantically at the sound of the door to the dungeons being opened.

"Quick!" Draco hissed, shoving Hermione at Snape, who scowled at him.

"Gently!" Hermione complained in a whisper to Draco.

Draco apologised and resumed his sobbing position in the corner.

Hermione and Snape embraced just as the door opened, Hermione lifted her foot off of the floor in feigned delight as they smiled tenderly at one another.

Draco let out an anguished sob.

"Draco…what are you doing?" the voice of Lucius Malfoy droned from the doorway.

Everyone tried not to blanch. Draco continued to pretend to cry and Snape and Hermione continued to gaze adoringly at one another.

"Well there's a sight I never thought I'd have to look at." Lucius quipped looking at Snape and Hermione as he made his way over to his apparently heart broken son.

"Draco, what is the matter with you?" he demanded of his son.

"M…my girlfriend…is in love with Professor Snape!" Draco wailed pointing in apparent pain at the two 'lovebirds'

"I…I don't know what happened! They just suddenly started this…stuff!"

"Tell me Draco, have they kissed yet?" Lucius asked probingly.

Draco wailed louder. "No! but just look at them! They aren't far off it!" he pointedly glared over his father's shoulder at the two. "HEY, WHY DON'T YOU JUST PLANT ONE ON HER NOW BIG BOY! AND GET A ROOM!!!" he cried at them before breaking into hysterical sobs.

Lucius glanced over at the two behind him.

Having briefly glared at Draco, Snape and Hermione had to kick it up a notch…making mental notes to make Draco pay for it later.

Snape dipped Hermione and began murmering sweet nothings to her.

"Oh my love!" She breathed in response.

"Yes, well, these things happen." Lucius crowed turning his back on the simpering pair, "Think yourself as having a lucky escape, you could have ended up completely ruined if your relationship with her had continued…you just weren't meant to be…so get over it!"

Draco wanted to hex his father for that, but having no wand, could not.

He continued to sob instead.

"Draco, really, this crying thing is just getting embarrassing now!" Lucius said displeased.

"Please father, I just want to be left alone!" Draco sobbed.

"As you wish, I have to report back to the dark lord anyway…make sure these two don't…get too far if you catch my drift." Lucius said nodding at Snape and Hermione who were cooing at one another as he passed by them and out of the door.

As soon as it was shut, Snape and Hermione jumped apart, brushing themselves down, shuddering.

"Thanks a lot Draco!" Hermione snapped.

"Yes, thank you so much!" Snape sneered.

"I'm sorry! I was just trying to make it realistic…think about it. The potion will have progressed by now, and you two should be onto another level besides just holding hands and looking lovelorn!"

"Yes but, plant one on her now big boy!?" Hermione said angrily, smacking Draco on the arm.

"Sounded good at the time!" Draco said defensively.

"Draco, if I have to kiss Miss Granger, I'm going to make your life a living hell!" Snape growled.

"Hey! I don't want you kissing her anymore than you do…she is my girlfriend after all!" Draco said possessively. "Do you think I like seeing you fawning all over each other?"  
"It's not real Draco!" Snape snapped "It was your plan to begin with!"

"Yes but you didn't have to make it look so real!" Draco snapped back.

"It was your plan that we did!!!!" Snape said in exasperation. "Merlin Draco what do you want me to do!?"

"I don't know!" Draco cried, grasping fistfuls of his hair. "I just don't know!"

"Alright, lets all just…take a deep breath and calm down…the last thing we need to do is turn on each other." Hermione said calmly. Harry and Ron were so much easier to work with in desperate situations!

The two men glared at each other but said nothing.

"Now, lets think this through carefully. Draco, your plan was to fool them all into thinking that their potion worked. That has been successful so far." Hermione said reasonably. "Professor Snape, how far are we willing to go to convince them the potion worked until we can make our escape?"

Snape scowled. "I draw the line at lips touching! That just simply isn't going to happen!".

"I couldn't agree more…now we need to come up with a way to keep them convinced, but avoid locking lips." Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Is that possible anymore since genius Draco kicked it up a notch for us?" Snape said glaring at Draco.

"Look, I said I was sorry!!" Draco snapped.

"Well sorry doesn't solve our problem!" Snape snapped back.

Hermione sighed. It was hopeless. They were evidently not going to stop bickering.

Suddenly, something occurred to her. This could be beneficial!

"Draco! I have an idea!" She said excitedly.

"What is it?" Draco asked moodily.

"You could get mad about Snape and I and act out…disrupting the wedding!!! You can cause such a fuss, it may give the Order time to arrive…if they're even being sent to help." Hermione said enthusiastically.

"Do I get to be mean to him?" Draco grouched, glaring at Snape who glared back.

"Yes…that's sort of the whole point. You need to act angry!" Hermione said slowly.

"No acting would be required!" Draco sneered.

"Good thing!" Snape sneered back "acting isn't your forte."

"Alright, lets save it for the act!" Hermione reasoned.

A stony silence fell in the cell and Hermione sat missing Harry and Ron.

They had no way of telling how much time had passed before the sound of the dungeon door opening was heard.

Hermione and Snape quickly got up and rushed towards each other to embrace again.

Draco glared.

The cell door opened with a bang and two deatheaters came in and handed them three plates of what looked like vomit.

"What's this?" Draco asked disdainfully.

"Soup." Came the grunted reply before they left the prisoners to it.

Draco set his on the floor and gave Snape and Hermione the cold shoulder.

"Draco…what's wrong now?" Hermione asked, sighing as she disentangled herself from Snape.

"I don't like you and him touching so much!" Draco said gruffly.

"But Draco…your plan was-"

"I know what my plan was…I just didn't think it would involve so much contact!" Draco said irritably.

"Jealousy…classic!" Snape snorted. "He picks now to get jealous!"  
Draco said nothing.

"Draco…is Professor Snape right? Are you jealous?" Hermione asked carefully.

"N…no. Don't be ridiculous!" Draco huffed loftily.

Hermione felt a rush of affection for him and moved forward, grabbing his face gently in her hands and turning him to face her before bringing her lips to his in a searing kiss.

Draco seemed stunned a minute before enthusiastically returning the kiss.

"Pass the bucket." Snape quipped, turning away.

The two surfaced for air.

"Wow." Draco said dazed.

"There is no need for you to be jealous Draco." Hermione said winking.

"Is it safe to look yet?" Snape demanded.

"It's safe Professor." Hermione grinned.

An unvoiced apology moved between Snape and Draco.

Draco cleared his throat. "So…yeah, I'm not eating this!" he said, poking the disgusting looking soup with the spoon.

"I'm not hungry." Hermione stated pushing hers away.

"I wasn't supposed to get dinner." Snape said disdainfully. "They must have forgotten."

The door opened again and Snape moved quickly, rolling over the ground in a James Bond move, coming to a sitting position behind Hermione and hugged her from behind.

Hermione winked at Draco who smiled briefly before scowling at them.

"Not hungry?" Came the voice of Voldemort.

No-one answered him.

Draco was scowling at Hermione and Snape, as the pair snuggled shamelessly.

"Pity," Voldemort mused "You have a big event ahead of you."

He reached down and grabbed Hermione by the arm and hauled her up.

"My love!" Snape and Draco cried in anguish, one faking it and one meaning it.

"Calm down, Severus, you'll get her back…in a few minutes." Voldemort cooed at Snape.

"And you…you'll never get her back, so get over it!" he told Draco evily.

Hermione made a good act of reluctance to be parted from 'her love', reaching around voldemort as he escorted her out, her arms reaching for Snape.

"Severus!" She cried pitifully, inwardly gaping at herself for using Snape's given name. She reasoned it out in her head that it wouldn't be nearly as convincing if she had called him Professor. Snape would probably lynch her for it later though.

The door slammed shut behind them and Draco and Snape were left alone.

Snape got up and began pacing.

Draco remained where he was, still reaching for the door Hermione had just been taken through.

"Where is he taking her? What is he going to do?" he wailed.

"Calm yourself Draco." Snape said firmly. "I suspect a wedding is a few hours away."

"And you want me to calm myself?" Draco squawked. "I thought we'd have more time!"

Snape cast him a withering look. "We knew that is what we were brought here for. There is no point in-"

The door flew open and two deatheaters entered and grabbed Snape who began struggling.

"Relax Severus, we're taking you to your love!" One of them jeered at him.

Raging at them on the inside, Snape had to act pleased.

"Oh…well that's different." he said as cheerfully as he could manage as he was escorted out of the cell.

The door did not close however as Lucius entered.

"Come Draco, you must get ready."

"Ready for what?" Draco demanded.

"Your initiation of course…and Severus's wedding!" Came the curt reply as he was grabbed by the ear and dragged along after his father.

Draco was dragged up to the great hall where preparations were taking place for the two events.

Meanwhile, Snape was taken to a room whereupon entering, saw Hermione with Voldemort.

She was chained to the wall, wearing an Elizabethan style wedding gown of cream and gold.

Snape caught her eye and cast a look that meant they had to pretend still.

"My love!" Hermione cried, looking relieved.

Snape struggled with his captors, succeeding only when Voldemort gave his consent to be let go.

He hurried over to Hermione and cupped her face in his hands.

"Why is she chained?!" Snape asked of Voldemort, feigning distress.

"To prevent her escape of course." Voldemort replied simply. "Now, you two are getting married, right after I have a word with both of you…hope that's alright!"

Snape and Hermione were expecting this news and had to act accordingly…delighted.

Voldemort let Hermione free from her chains.

"Come stand here." Voldemort instructed the two.

What happened next, neither had been expecting. And had they had time to react, they would have but Voldemort was surprisingly swift and cunning.

Voldemort began singing! Hermione had time to dimly register that it was Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom Of the Opera: Past The Point Of No Return before her mind went hazy.

Voldemort sang at the two deatheaters in the room "Go wait for the trap is set and waits for its prey."

The two deatheaters left the room.

"You might register that the song I just sang the start of was from a muggle musical, Miss Granger." Voldemort said smugly. "Or so you thought. Andrew Lloyd Webber is in fact a wizard…and a dark one at that. That song is actually the nuptials for a dark wedding…and you two are to be singing it!" Voldemort threw back his head and cackled manically before sobering up a bit. "Your last wedding was too nice. I was trying to make you feel at home Miss Granger, but alas…so, this time, I'm doing it my way. But you both need not worry, you wont be aware of anything."

Snape and Hermione were so dazed by whatever had come over them they heard but didn't react. They stared blankly ahead.

Voldemort waved his wand and automatically, Snape and Hermione followed him out of the room and into the great hall where their wedding guests had assembled.

They walked down the centre aisle and stopped at the front.

Voldemort flicked his wand and music started up. The same musical, different song. "Music Of The Night" began and Voldemort circled Snape and Hermione, waving his wand as he sang, weaving dark magic around them, clouding their minds, and bringing them under his controle.

Draco gaped in horror, having just entered with his father as he watched Snape and Hermione fall under the spell.

He began to yell out but Lucius quickly cast a silencing charm on his son.

(A/N: I normally would not write the words to the song, but they are so relevant in this part that it must be done! So bear with me)

"Night time sharpens, heightens each sensations,

Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination.

Silently the senses, abandon their defenses."

"Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendour

Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender.

Turn your face away from the garish light of day

Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light

And listen to the music of the night"

"Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams

Purge all thoughts of the life you knew before.

Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar…

And you'll live as you've never lived before."

"Softly, deftly, music shall caress you,

Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you.

Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind

in this darkness that you know you cannot fight.

The darkness of the music of the night."

"Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world

Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before.

Let your soul take you where you long to be…

Only then can you belong to me.

"Floating, falling, sweet intoxication

Touch me, trust me, savour each sensation

Let the dream begin let your darker side give in

To the power of the music that I write

The power of the music of the night."

The music crescendo'd before softening again and Voldemort finished the song and incantation.

"You alone can make my song take flight.

Help me make the music of the night."

Snape and Hermione were completely under whatever spell the dark lord had weaved around them and they stood staring blankly, seemingly mezmerised.

The deatheaters watching smirked. Now the wedding could take place and their dark lord would be victorious!

Another song began, once again from the same musical. "Past the point of no return"

As if automatically, Snape began to sing the first verse to Hermione.

Hermione sang the second verse to Snape as Voldemort watched eagerly as the dark magic crept toward the pair in a dark mist, creeping around their feet and ankles as they sang.

They're singing ended, but the music continued, lulling and dark as a dark mist swirled around them before the music finally stopped.

"What just happened?" Draco asked, his voice a horrified whisper, feeling the charm being lifted.

"They just got married!" Lucius replied smirking.

"No…" Draco whispered, devastated. "We…we had more time!"

"It seems not." Lucius smirked. "We knew you would try to ruin things again, so we rushed things a bit to catch you unawares! Now, move forward. Your initiation is at hand."  
Lucius pushed Draco forward to where Voldemort stood with Snape and Hermione, still staring blankly ahead, though standing with clasped hands.

"Now, for you Draco, I have this!" Voldemort said raising his wand and grabbing Draco's arm, pushing up his sleeve.

"NO!" Draco yelled struggling to get free. His father was behind him, holding him still while the tip of Voldemort's wand touched his arm.

A searing pain made Draco scream and Voldemort grinned evily as he called above the yelling.  
"I hereby initiate you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, into the Death Eater's circle."

The dark mark appeared, burning Draco's arm and he stared down at it in horror.

"Congratulations!" Voldemort crowed condescendingly.

"Hermione!" He said suddenly, wrenching free of the hands that held him and grabbed Hermione's arm.

"Hermione! Can you hear me?!" Draco pleaded with her to listen. "Please…its all gone horribly wrong! You…you and Snape, you're under some sort of mind controle! You have to snap out of it!"

But Hermione and Snape remained silent and blank, as though hypnotised.

"It is time for the bride and groom to have their dance to seal the deal!" Voldemort announced jovially and smirked at Draco triumphantly. "Move aside boy." and he swept Draco out of the way with his arm, flicking his wand at Snape and Hermione.

They walked arm in arm to the dancefloor and more music started. The overture for Phantom Of The Opera. It was clearly officiating the marriage, instead of signing a document. The dance was magically binding and was a cross between the tango and salsa.

Draco watched them, despair almost breaking his heart. They had failed! Hermione was lost to him forever!

The music was powerful, as was the magic that surrounded the couple as they danced. Voldemort cackled evilly and triumphantly and the Death Eaters cheered in victory as the song and dance continued.

Suddenly, the doors of the hall burst open and the Order strode in menacingly.

They stared around at the scene looking somewhat confused.

"Whoa!" Tonks said nodding in approval at Snape and Hermione as they danced past them all. "Who here knew Sev could cut a rug so well?"

Draco ran forward, tears running down his face. "You're too late! You didn't get here in time!!" he sobbed.

"What?" Tonks gasped. "You don't mean…then that dance is…

"Their finalisation!" Chorused the Order.

Draco flapped his arms in anguish. "You came too late! Its over! Snape and...and Hermione are married! And I…I'm…" He yanked up his sleeve with a sob to reveal the horrible mark that marred his creamy skin. "A deatheater!!!" Draco ended with a wail.  
The order looked devastated.

"But…but how?" Mad Eye murmured.

"He put them under some sort of mind control spell! He used music!" Draco hiccoughed. "We thought we had more time!"

"Andrew Lloyd Webber!" Tonks said with despair. "He's a dark one…his music is full of dark magic!"

The music and dance ended.

"Its not over…" Lupin said darkly. "We need to get them back to Hogwarts before this marriage is consummated!"

Realisation dawned on everyone. They still might have a fighting chance! Draco had been so swallowed up by his despair, he had forgotten about that little technicality!

The Deatheaters were waiting on the Order getting over their shock. Once this had occurred, they started firing spells at them in quick succession.

"Severus! Bring your wife to safety!" Voldemort called.

Snape took Hermione's hand and they ran across the room towards the doors.

"LUPIN!" Tonks shouted. "THE DOORS!!!"  
Lupin acted quickly, casting a spell to seal the doors, preventing the couple's escape.

The battle raged, far more intense than before. More killing curses were being fired, and one narrowly missed Molly.

Draco had no wand, and so went around tripping death eaters up and getting in the way.

A stunning spell flew past his ear and hit Snape and Hermione behind him.

They crumpled to the floor.

"I NEED THEM CONSCIOUS!!!" Voldemort complained loudly.

Two Order members, ran forward and took one each beneath the arms and dragged the two unconscious newlyweds towards the door, ducking spells and curses.

The battle was so chaotic, they weren't really noticed.

"SAFE!" One of the Order members who had dragged Hermione and Snape to safety shouted to the others.

The Order began their retreat, firing spells continuously as they backed towards the doors.

Lupin got out first, and rushed to the two unconscious on the floor.

"Ennervate!" He said, pointing his wand at the two of them.

They stirred and came to.

"Professor Lupin!" Hermione said, dazed. "Where am I?"

"At Voldemort's lair." Lupin explained pulling her to her feet followed by Snape.

"What happened?" Snape asked dozily.

"There's no time to explain! We must run, quickly!" Lupin said urgently.

"Where's Draco!?" Hermione cried, panicked.

"He'll be following, now come!" Lupin urged pushing them into a run.

They got a good start, though ran faster at the sound of the doors to the great hall crashing open.

"GET THEM!" Voldemort screamed.

Ducking jets of red, green and blue light, the Order ran out of the castle and into the forest where they were persued by the deatheaters.

"To the Apparition point!" Mad Eye yelled.

They got there, but not without injury.

They all disapparated with a resounding boom, leaving the deatheaters screaming and roaring in anger and frustration.

"We were so close!" Voldemort whined. "I had them married for Merlin's sake!!" He gave a deep sigh of disappointment before turning to address his followers. "Run me a bath…I need to relax. Bring me my rubber duck!"

The order apparated outside the gates of Hogwarts with the three prisoners.

Draco ran toward Hermione and flung his arms around her, but was quickly rebuffed by some invisible force.

She tried to return the embrace, not sure what had just happened, only to come up against the same invisible buffer.

"To the castle, quickly!" Mad Eye urged as the gates swung open, bidding them entrance to the grounds.

Everyone hurried forward towards the castle.

Draco clutched Hermione to him as they hurried along.

Lupin limped alongside them and Hermione was pained to see Arthur Weasley with blood running down his face.

They got to the castle and entered, calling for Dumbledore.

It was the middle of the night and so the school was in slumber.

Dumbledore had been anxiously awaiting their arrival and hurried toward them. "Is everyone alright?"

"A few injuries, but nothing we can't fix." Lupin said reassuringly. "We were successful in bringing them home."

Dumbledore froze before the Order parted to reveal the three they had rescued.

"But we didn't get there in time Albus." Mad Eye said solemnly. "We were too late."

"They were just finishing the dance when we arrived." Tonks explained sadly.

"They're married Albus." Molly said tearfully.

"What?" Hermione's soft and very confused voice said.

pitying looks fell on Snape and Hermione who stood looking bewildered.

"What are you talking about?" Snape snapped "We didn't get married!"  
"Yes, you did!" Draco told them "The dark lord sang something and you went all blank and sang your parts perfectly…without resistance."

Hermione and Snape stared wide eyed at him.  
"N…no. This can't be!" Hermione said shakily, her face pale as she backed away.

"I'm afraid it is Hermione…it was dark magic, but it is still valid!" Tonks said sadly. "You were Andrew Lloyd Webbered!"

"We'll go to the ministry first thing in the morning…surely they can annul the marriage!" Molly reasoned, trying to keep everyone calm.

"But nothing can reverse what happened to Draco." Lupin said sadly.

Dumbledore snapped out of whatever reverie he had been in and moved toward Draco, taking his hand and pushing up his sleeve. His eyes hid nothing as he beheld the dark mark.

"I am so terribly sorry my boy." He said tenderly. "I am so so sorry!"

Draco knew he meant it.

"Is there absolutely no removing it?" Draco asked dolefully.

"When the Dark lord is vanquished, I suspect it shall." Dumbledore said sadly.

He clapped his hands and a house Elf appeared.

"Some sweet tea I think Bonkie, and some nourishing food." The headmaster requested.

the House elf vanished with a pop and reappeared two minutes later with the food and tea.

They all sat down at the head table, weary, exhausted and three were traumatised.

The Order talked quietly, a sad and disbelieving tone to each voice.

The three victims sat in silence, sipping their tea.

Dumbledore tried to entice them to eat.

"Come Severus, you must eat something. You look weak and tired."

"I'm not hungry Albus!" Snape replied flatly.

"Miss Granger?" Dumbledore offered coaxingly, the beef and vegetable stew in his hand and he waved it beneath her nose.

She gave him a weak smile before picking up the spoon and taking a bite to appease him before returning the spoon to the table.

Draco did the same.

Sighing, Dumbledore accepted the fact that they were not hungry.

"Come now, it is not all over…I'm sure we can get the marriage annulled…we just need a memory of it…Draco, you will need to give the ministry your memory of the wedding, so that the ministry can make a fair decision." he said bolsteringly. "Until then, I'm afraid you cannot be physically affectionate with Miss…Mrs…no, Miss Granger."

Draco nodded despondently. He understood how wizarding marriages worked.

"Will…will I be able to sleep in my own bed tonight Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione asked softly, taking into account this was no muggle marriage.

Dumbledore sighed. "I'm afraid not. So, I shall arrange it that you and Professor Snape sleep in my office tonight, in separate beds of course. But the magic won't allow you to sleep in separate rooms…not until…" He trailed off. There was little point in distressing the poor witch further.

Snape knew however, what he meant and stayed silent, a slight shudder showing his feelings on the matter.

"We'll go first thing in the morning." Dumbledore assured them.

"I am tired…I need some sleep." Snape said quietly, standing up and heading out of the great hall.

Hermione felt a tug by some invisible force and was obliged to stand and follow Snape.

Draco smiled weakly at her, mouthing what he could not say.

she did the same before disappearing around the door.

"Well, I'd better see to their sleeping arrangements." Dumbledore said, excusing himself.


	32. Chapter 32

Dumbledore caught up with the pair as they walked in silence towards the headmaster's office.

"Severus, do you wish to talk about this?" Dumbledore offered gently as he walked with them.

"There's nothing to talk about Albus." Snape replied grimly.

"But surely you have something to say about it all? I mean, you are married to a student!"  
Snape stopped and turned around so fast, Dumbledore walked into him and grabbed Snape's robes to stop himself from falling.

"And how is that my fault Albus?" Snape demanded in a harsh voice. "The Order were supposed to get there in time-"  
"They did their best Severus!" Dumbledore said calmly "They just weren't fast enough."

Snape glared hard before turning and resuming the walk to Dumbledore's office.

"To be fair Professor Snape, it's Voldemort we should be angry with." Hermione reasoned.

"Yes." Dumbledore agreed. "Who knew he could be so sneaky? I mean, we had him pegged for a complete dunce!"

"I don't want to discuss this anymore. I just want to go to bed, sleep and go to the ministry and get this marriage annulled." Snape said through gritted teeth.

Dumbledore sighed. "Very well, but I think talking about it would help you deal with it a bit better."

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

When they arrived in Dumbledore's office, he took out his wand and arranged their sleeping quarters, keeping the beds on either side of the fireplace.

"There we are. I'll be through that wall if either of you need anything. My wand is on the desk if you need it also." Dumbledore said stifling a yawn as he pushed a panel in the wall and it slid open to reveal his bedroom. He went through it and the wall slid shut behind him.

Snape and Hermione stood in the room awkwardly.

"Professor, could you…turn around so I can change for bed?" Hermione said burning with embarrassment.

Snape rolled his eyes and picked up Dumbledore's and flicked it at her. Her wedding dress transfigured into a Victorian style nightdress.

Hermione looked down at it…it covered everything but her head. Not something she would have worn, but under the circumstances, she was rather glad of it.

Snape didn't bother with pajamas, and threw himself down on his own bed and closed his eyes.

Hermione climbed into bed and turned to face the wall and let the tears come. What a horrible day it had been! She was so exhausted, her tears sped her slumber and she was asleep within minutes.

She awoke what felt like a few minutes later by someone shaking her.

"Wake up you silly girl!" a voice snapped irritably.

She opened her eyes to see Snape above her looking annoyed.

"Professor Snape!" She exclaimed groggily, rubbing her eyes. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Waking you is like trying to wake the dead! Have you forgotten everything that happened yesterday!?" Snape hissed. "Get up!" He snapped, wrenching the bedclothed off of her and onto the floor.

She hissed in protest and curled up into a ball as the cold air of the room hit her.

"Now!" Snape barked. "I want breakfast! And then we need to get to the Ministry of magic!"

Everything came rushing back to Hermione in one horrible gust of memory. Suddenly, she didn't want to get up and face another day. She flopped back onto her pillows and closed her eyes hoping the world would be destroyed that very moment.

But it wasn't. She looked reluctantly up at Snape who stood over her with his arms crossed before sitting up and climbing out of the bed, wincing as her feet made contact with the stone floor. She stumbled past Snape over to a mirror and peered into it, jerking back, startled.

"We have got a lot of work to do my friend." She told her reflection decisively. "Where's my wand?" She said patting her nightdress.

"Voldemort has it…along with mine. Dumbledore left us this one." Snape said grumpily holding a rather plain looking wand aloft.

Hermione sighed. "May I have it?" She asked politely.

"No, you'll take forever." Snape said briskly aiming the wand at her.

Before Hermione could draw breath to protest, there was a bang, a puff of smoke and she looked in the mirror to see she was back in the dress from the night before.

"Professor Snape, I can't wear this again!" She declared. "The questions alone will drive me to death by humiliation!"

"It's clothing…it covers you…end of." Snape said dismissively walking past her to the door.

"Wait!" Hermione cried. "You forgot my hair!"  
Snape turned back to face her, a ghost of a smirk on his face.

"What's wrong with it?" he asked mildly.

Hermione looked at her reflection then back at Snape incredulously.

"It looks like I lost a fight with a comb!" She said sharply, pointing at her unruly hair. "Look at this frizz!"

Snape flicked the wand casually and she was suddenly drenched in cold water.

She let out a scream of shock and stood gasping and bedraggled.

"There, no frizz. Now can we go?" Snape quipped.

"D…dry me!" Hermione demanded, shivering with cold.

"Must I feed you also?" Snape demanded lazily flicking the wand again, blasting Hermione almost off her feet with warm air.

It was like standing behind a jet engine.

Though she had to hold onto the fireplace to keep from being blown off of her feet, it was effective and she was dry in minutes.

"Thank you." She said crisply, knowing better than to irritate Snape any further.

Her hair was windswept and had a lot of volume as a result, but it looked better than it had before, so she couldn't really complain.

Snape turned and left the office, dragging Hermione magically out after him.

She hopped along behind him putting her shoes on as he strode down to the great hall.

"Professor Snape!" She hissed at him urgently as they approached the doors of the great hall. "Professor Snape wait!"

Snape stopped an turned to her irritated.

"What are we going to do about seating arrangements?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"You will sit at the top of the Gryffindor table…that should suffice!" Snape replied flatly before throwing the doors open and striding in.

Hermione had to half run to keep up with him.

Draco dashed up to her from her left and hurried along with her.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

"Fine…he's not a morning person though." Hermione answered pointedly.

"Dumbledore said to meet outside after breakfast. The order is meeting us at the Ministry at 9:30am." Draco told her in a hushed voice.

"Will they make it on time?" Snape deadpanned snidely.

"He's really mad at the Order about being late." Hermione explained in a whisper to Draco. "Sit with me?" She begged.

"Of course." Draco replied with a loving smile. "I can't hug you…the spell thing won't let me."  
"I know." Hermione said sadly.

"Do you want Potter and Weasley here too?" Draco asked.

"Would you mind?" Hermione said gratefully as she sat at the top of the Gryffindor table nearest the teacher's table, where Snape sat hurriedly eating his breakfast.

Draco hurried off down the table and returned with Harry and Ron in tow.

It suddenly occurred to Hermione that they did not know what had happened last night.

"You're back!" Harry said happily.

Ron and Harry moved to hug her but came up against an invisible wall.

"What the…" Ron said indignantly. "Malfoy, if you are feeling possessive…"

"It's not me." Draco said waspishly. "I can't hold her either."

"Then what-" Harry began with a frown but Hermione spoke up.

"It's a magical shield. It will only lift when my marriage is consummated." She said almost as a matter of factly.

Ron and Harry goggled at her for a moment.

"I'm sorry, did you just say…" Harry said carefully.

"Your marriage?" Ron finished.

"Yes I did." Hermione answered simply.

Harry and Ron looked at Draco in disbelief. "You…You…"

"Not me!" Draco said irritably. "Do you not remember Voldemort's plan?"

Harry had to sit down. "You don't mean…surely not…you can't be married to…to…"

His green eyes lifted to look at Snape briefly before moving back to Hermione who burned with humiliation, her cool guard falling to reveal her real emotions as she promptly let her head fall onto the table and let out a sob.

"Oh Merlin." Harry gulped. "What went wrong?"  
"The Order didn't get to us in time…Voldemort moved things so quickly, they were married within minutes of being taken out of the cell we were in." Draco explained.

"Hey Granger!" A Slytherin girl crowed from across the hall. "Nice dress! What's the occasion? Marriage to Shakespeare?"

The Slytherins erupted in laughter and Hermione hung her head.

"I told him I didn't want to wear this dress today. He could have transfigured me some school robes, but noooo, he had to…" She muttered into her bacon and eggs.

There was the sound of a chair being pushed back and they looked to see Snape standing, glaring at his house.

"Leave my wife alone!!" He barked angrily before slapping his hand over his mouth in shock of what had come out, looking mortified. Evidently, Hermione's shield was not the only default thing attatched to this marriage business.

The silence that fell was deafening as everyone stared at Snape in shock.

"Did he just say…" Someone began

Hermione looked mortified before lowering her head to the table again, her arms over her head. She didn't want to see everyone's reactions.

Harry stood up, laughing nervously "Alright, who hit Professor Snape with a confundulous charm?" he said jokingly, elbowing Ron.

"Sorry Professor Snape!" Ron said quickly, "My wand has a mind of its own sometimes!"

Snape looked at him, a panicked expression on his face before picking up the lead. "Five points from Gryffindor Mr Weasely for lack of wand controle!"

Some students laughed and returned to their breakfasts. Some other students eyed him suspiciously before returning to their breakfasts also.

He glanced briefly at Hermione before returning to his own breakfast.

Hermione turned back around to face her friends.

"Nice one Potter." Draco murmured to Harry.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron whispered to Hermione, glancing at Snape.

"It must be the same magical enforcement that causes my shield against physical contact with any of you." Hermione answered sounding stressed. "He was compelled to defend my honour."

"You had better eat something, Love. You've a long day ahead of you." Draco said tenderly.

Hermione nodded. He was right. She hadn't eaten for two days.

She had just lifted a forkful to her mouth when she was nudged from behind.

Snape stood there, and nodded at the doors.

It was time to go.

"But I haven't had any-" She began to protest but Snape turned and walked towards the doors.

Hermione was almost pulled off of her feet by the invisible tether that currently existed between her and Snape and she dropped her fork and followed him out, along with Draco, Ron and Harry.

Dumbledore came out a moment later.

"We'll apparate outside the gates of the school." He said as they left the school and hurried across the grounds towards the gates.

Harry and Ron grasped Dumbledore's arms and Hermione and Draco grasped Snape's robes.

They apparated with a crack and landed outside the Ministry in an alleyway.

"Now, Draco, you will need to provide the memory as evidence." Dumbledore told Draco as they entered the building.

Draco nodded numbly.

"Harry, Ronald, neither of you must say anything…we can't risk this annulment not being granted!" the Headmaster told the two boys firmly.

"Miss Granger, if you wish to cry, please feel free to do so…it may sway the Ministry in our favour."

Hermione nodded.

"Severus, let me do the talking." Dumbledore told Snape. "Unless you are asked a direct question…then you will have to answer it."

Snape rolled his eyes.

The got into the lift and went down to the department of marriage and magical law."

The Order were already there, waiting anxiously.

Snape sneered at them. "Well what do you know! They can be on time for things…who would have guessed!"

Nobody said anything. They were all feeling immensely guilty about the previous night.

Dumbledore led the way into the reception, beckoning Snape and Hermione forward with him.

"Good morning," He greeted politely "We are here to see about an annulment for a marriage please."

Without looking up at them, the receptionist took out a form. "Who wants the annulment?" She asked curtly.

"We do you fool!" Snape hissed. "Isn't it obvious?"

The Receptionist looked up at Snape with narrowed eyes. "You can't be serious! Severus Snape? I was at Hogwarts with you!"

Snape eyed her beadily. "No, sorry I don't remember you." He sneered.

"Well I remember you…you got locked in the cupboard with me for seven minutes in heaven."

Snape frowned but before he could say anything, Tonks pushed in front of him.

"In your dreams a-poin dexter!" She said matter of factly.

"You shut up, you've caused enough problems!" Snape told Tonks coldy.

"No really, it happened. It was apparently his first kiss." The receptionist said smirking. "I trust you have improved?" She gloated at Snape.

"I don't know what you are talking about…clearly it wasn't as memorable for me as it was for you." Snape quipped. "Now kindly do your job and get us an annulment!" He added sharply, grabbing Hermione and yanking her to his side.

"You…you are married to her?" The receptionist said disbelievingly.

"Hopefully not for much longer!" Snape sneered. "That is if you can get along and actually do your job a bit faster!"

"You'll have to excuse my colleague, he's had a rather stressful night." Dumbledore said kindly, elbowing Snape roughly in the ribs.

The receptionist glared at Snape but took up her quill.

"Names?" She said icily.

"Severus Tobias Snape." Dumbledore replied. "And Hermione Jean Granger."

The witch wrote the names down in the appropriate boxes.

"When were they married?"

"Last night." Dumbledore answered.

"And the reason for the request of annulment?" Came the final question.

"Forced marriage and teacher student relations!" Dumbledore answered grimly.

The receptionist looked up sharply at his response. "No way! He's a professor at Hogwarts now? Teaching what?"

"He is our potions master." Dumbledore replied proudly, beaming at Snape with apparent pride.

"Psh! Didn't see that coming! And now you're here because you seduced one of your students? Tut tut." The receptionist said in distaste.

"I didn't seduce her." Snape said through clenched teeth. "It was a forced marriage, as the Headmaster told you! Now we all have lives to be getting back to if it's NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE!!!!!"

"Wait here please." she said snidely before disappearing through a panelled door with the form in hand.

"You really don't remember her Sev?" Tonks piped up.

"No, I really don't." Snape snapped. "Whoever she is, she's a nosy bint!"

The receptionist returned a few minutes later.

"They will see you now." She announced sitting back down at her desk and watching Snape closely as he turned in a flurry of robes.

They all moved towards the double doors she gestured to and pushed them open.

They entered a large circular courtroom where the wizengamot were seated on one side of the Minister of Magic, and the jury so to speak, on the other side of him.

The Order took seats around the sides as did Draco, Ron and Harry.

Dumbledore, Hermione and Snape stood before the Minister in the open.

"Severus Snape, and Hermione Granger. You are here to request the annulment of your marriage that took place last night. Correct?" The Minister enquired.

"Yes Minister." Snape and Hermione replied.

"What is the reason for such a request?" The Minister asked.

"This marriage was brought about by the dark lord Voldemort, Minister. Yesterday, Miss Granger, Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy were taken from Hogwarts by Voldemort and the two named returned having been forced into marriage." Dumbledore explained. "Under the circumstances, they wish to request an annulment."

The court were whispering frantically.

"Voldemort you say?" The Minister said uncomfortably. "What reason would he have for forcing such a marriage?"

"This is his third attempt, Minister. His plan is to have The above named produce an heir for him to raise as his own to take his place when he expired as it were."

"You addressed Mr Snape as Professor Snape…" The Minister said curiously.  
"He is Potions Master at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said briskly.

"And Miss Granger?" The Minister prodded.

"A student." Dumbledore replied.

A gasp went around the room.  
The Minister looked shocked. "Well that is indeed distressing."

"But as I stated before, this was a forced marriage. So you can see why an annulment is necessary." Dumbledore stated.

"This…this marriage, I trust it has not been consummated?" The Minister said carefully, almost afraid to ask.

"Certainly not, Minister." Snape said sharply.

The Minister looked rather relieved. "Well that's a good thing…otherwise, an annulment would be difficult. Have we a witness to the ceremony?"  
"Indeed we do Minister. Draco Malfoy saw everything." Dumbledore said gesturing for Draco to come down.

"Mr Malfoy, you have the memory of the event?"

Draco nodded. "Yes Minister."

"Kindly put the memory into the pensive you see there." The Minister requested.

Draco did as he had been asked and, using the wand Dumbledore had given Snape and Hermione to use, extracted the wispy, silver cord and dropped it into the pensive.

Everyone waited and suddenly, the memory rose up out of the pensive and was on display to all in the room.

Harry and Ron had to bite their tongues several times.

The Order looked even guiltier.

The court displayed expressions of shock, pity and anger.

Once the memory had played out, it fell back into the pensive.

"Thank you Mr Malfoy." The Minister said grimly.

"We will take a short recess to discuss the matter and return in five minutes." The Minister announced and led the way out of the room, followed by his court.

The five minutes that followed were extremely tense.

"They have to annul it!" Tonks said nervously "They'd be mad not to!"

"I don't see what there is to discuss!" Mad Eye groused "It's obviously not a valid marriage!"

"I don't feel so good." Hermione whimpered.

"Just hang in there Miss Granger, we're almost done." Dumbledore said bracingly.

They all tensed as the Minister emerged with his council and they took their seats.

Snape wanted to wring the Minister's neck as he shuffled papers, drawing out the verdict.

"In the case of the marriage of Severus Snape and Hermione Granger, I hereby declare the request for annulment, denied!" The Minister announced, bringing his gable down.

A stunned silence followed before Snape broke it.

"What?!" he gasped.

"Minister, surely…" Dumbledore cried in outrage. "Please explain!"  
The Minister looked distressed. "I am so very sorry. Upon viewing the memory and the magic involved in the marriage ceremony, though dark magic was used, it was still perfectly legal and valid."

"But it was against their wills!" Harry cried angrily.

"Arranged marriages happen all the time in the wizarding world Mr Potter." The Minister informed him. "The Purebloods do it all the time."  
"I DEMAND AN APPEAL!!!!" Snape roared.

"Please!" Hermione cried tearfully "I can't stay married to Professor Snape! My life will be ruined!"

Snape shot her a look.

"And…so will his!" Hermione added hastily pointing at Snape beside her.

"And so will mine!" Draco cried out. "She's my girlfriend! I love her!"

The court looked incredibly guilty.

"We are so very sorry!" The Minister said swallowing hard. "But there is nothing we can do!"

Hermione swooned, and then fainted, falling to the floor and lay unconscious at Snape's feet.

"Hermione!" Harry and Ron cried as Draco rushed to her side, but unable to touch her.

"I am truly, very sorry." The Minister said regrettably as he turned away and left the room, followed by his council.

"I…I don't believe this!" Snape whispered.

Dumbledore stood just as stunned. "I don't understand…this should have been an easy thing to obtain!"

A door opened and the Minister hurried over to them. He was no longer wearing his court robes, but his usual business attire.

Dumbledore had to restrain Snape.

"I am really sorry for that verdict…but laws…" The Minister said apologetically. "All, however, is not lost."

"Go on." Dumbledore said.

"There is another way to end the marriage." The Minister replied in hushed voice.

"Well out with it!" Snape hissed.

"It is but a small chance…but if you can find a magic just as callous and determined and controlling as the magic that bound you together, it will undo it all and the marriage will be as it never existed!" The Minister told them, keeping his voice low.

"Where can such a magic be found?" Snape asked.

The minister shook his head. "I wish I knew so I could tell you. But I don't know." He looked down at Hermione. "I hope for her sake you can find it though. So young."

"Thank you Minister." Dumbledore said gratefully.

The Minister nodded and bowed courteously to Snape who returned his bow, and the Minister turned and quit the room.

"Albus…we must find that magic!" Snape said urgently.

"Severus, I don't even know where to begin!" Dumbledore said sadly. "You heard the Minister. It is but a small chance."

"Then we have to at least try!" Harry piped up. "We need to find that magic!"

"Where to start though." Dumbledore said frowning.

"Library." Hermione said dozily from the ground. "Hogwarts' Library."

"Hermione! Are you alright?" Harry said urgently.

"Fine…I think I passed out from lack of sustenance." Hermione said sitting up slowly.

"Will you be alright to walk?" Draco asked gently.

"I…I think so." Hermione said uncertainly.

Tonks and Molly rushed to her side and helped her up.

"You can lean on us Mione!" Tonks told her.

"Thanks." Hermione said smiling weakly.

"Well, lets get going! The sooner we find it the better!" Mad Eye declared turning on his heel and galumphing out of the room.

The Order followed and hurried through the Ministry and out to the alleyway where they apparated back to Hogwarts.

They arrived with various cracks and hurried towards the castle.

McGonnigall was waiting for them anxiously at the doors.

"Well?" She asked anxiously looking at everyone's gloomy faces.

"They denied the annulment." Dumbledore said heavily.

"What?" McGonnigall gasped in shock. "Surely…surely they have a strong case!"

"Not as strong as the fact of a valid marriage apparently." Snape spat.

"The Minister did mention off the record that if we could find a magic that equalled that of the magic that bound them, the marriage would be wiped out." Dumbledore informed her. "So we are off to the library to find it."

McGonnigall went with them to help.

They entered the library and split up, Snape and Hermione having to search the same aisle.

They searched for several exhausting hours with nothing to show for it.

"This is hopeless!" Molly said wearily. "We've searched every book in the library!"

"Not in the restricted section we haven't!" Harry said hurrying off to the area of the library that was fenced off.

Everyone hurried over there to join him and the frantic search resumed.

Night was falling and the torches in the library suddenly flared into life.

"Nothing!" Arthur said in defeat. "This is indeed hopeless!"

"Wait!" Hermione said suddenly. "Professor, up there! There's a book up there on top of the shelves!"

Snape looked up and saw the corner of a book protruding from the top of the bookcase.

"Accio book." Snape commanded and caught the book as it came flying toward him before reading the spine.

"Practically unknown magic." he read aloud to the others.

Everyone exchanged glances.

Snape looked up the index of the book and froze. "It's in here! The destroyer of dark marriages!" His voice had a tone of elation that nobody present or alive had ever heard him use.

A gasp of excitement rippled through the Order and Hermione let out an excited squeak, clutching Snape's arm in joy.

"What does it say?" Dumbledore asked frantically.

"Dark magic cast over an object of one's choosing has the ability to undo dark magic which has been done either unintentionally or deliberately. All the participant(s) must do is find said object and use said object as was origionally proposed." Snape read aloud, frowning.

"Well that narrows it down." Tonks deadpanned.

Hermione let out a wail. "There's no way we can find such an object! The chances that one has had dark magic cast over it to rival that of the marriage spell is a million to one!"

"Not to mention we'd have to search the entire Wizarding world and each and every object that exists in it." Draco added heavily. "That would take our entire lifetime to find!"

The air of despair that had lifted when they found the book quickly descended upon them all again.

"I'm going to my office." Snape said moodily.

"I don't want to go to your office!" Hermione said tersely.

"I didn't ask you to come." Snape snapped.

"Well if you go I have no choice but to come do I?!" Hermione snapped back.

"Don't you dare talk to me in that tone of voice Miss Granger or it'll be detention for the rest of your life!!!"  
"I ALREADY HAVE DETENTION WITH YOU FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, DON'T I PROFESSOR OBVIOUS?!!!" Hermione screamed looking slightly demented.

"I'M LEAVING!!!" Snape bellowed storming towards the library doors.

Hermione was tugged along after him.

Letting out a growl of defiance, she grabbed hold of a pillar as she passed and wrapped her arms around it.  
"I AM STAYING!" She cried.

Snape was yanked backwards and landed on his rear.

"LET GO!" he yelled, enraged getting to his feet.

"NO!" Hermione screamed back.

"Oh dear." Dumbledore said watching the approaching scuffle.

Snape stalked toward Hermione and grabbed her about the waist, and pulled.

Still she clung to the pillar. "Let me go!" She snapped.

"You let go of that pillar Miss Granger, or I swear on my mother's grave you will regret it!"

Hermione ignored him and continued to cling to the pillar.

Snape continued to pull until with a scream, Hermione lost her grip on the pillar and the two were sent flying backwards, landing in a heap on the floor a few feet away.

The Order hurried over to them.

"Are you two alright?" Dumbledore asked worriedly.

Snape sat up. "DO WE BLOODY LOOK ALRIGHT??!" He bellowed.

"Now Severus, just calm down." Dumbledore reasoned. "This isn't getting us anywhere."

"Calm down?" Snape whispered. "CALM DOWN?"

Suddenly, he crumpled back to the ground, snoring loudly.

Everyone turned to face Tonks who stood with her wand out.

"What? I was tired of his yelling!" She said defensively. "A nice nap ought to cheer him up a bit!"

"Miss Granger, are you alright?" Dumbledore asked gently, stooping down to assist Hermione to her feet after she had freed her legs from Snape's weight.

"Professor Dumbledore…we have to find that object!" She moaned. "I can't live like this!"

"I understand completely." Dumbledore replied. "Someone levitate Severus. We'll go to my office and have something to eat."

There was a murmer of agreement and several stomachs rumbled as they all trooped towards the doors, Snape floating amongst them.


	33. Chapter 33

Everyone sat crowded in Dumbledore's office eating from a plate of sandwhiches that was floating around and more sandwiches appeared whenever anyone took one

Everyone sat crowded in Dumbledore's office eating from a plate of sandwhiches that was floating around and more sandwiches appeared whenever anyone took one.

The spindly whirring objects in Dumbledore's office tinkled and clicked in the background as they sat in silence, enjoying the food.

Fawkes the Pheonix sat on his perch with his head under his wing, snoozing.

They had put Snape in a corner where he sat slumped against the wall still snoring loudly.

"Bloody hell!" Ron remarked with a grimace as Snape gave a particularly loud snort behind him. "Did he sound like that last night?"

"I wouldn't know Ron," Hermione replied wearily "I slept like a log last night, I was so exhausted!"

"You must have been!" Harry commented, "He sounds like the Hogwarts express when it goes through a tunnel!"

"Is he bothering everyone?" Tonks enquired around a mouthful of ham sandwich. She took out her wand and flicked it at Snape "Silencio!"

Snape continued to snore, but it could no longer be heard.

"Like watching a silent movie!" Remus remarked interestedly. "He's all black and white and silent!"

"Yeah, it'd be nice if he stayed that way!" Ron quipped cheerfully.

A chuckle went around the room.

"How would he teach potions if he was on silent mode?" Molly demanded sternly.

"That's sort of the point I think Molly." Arthur said gently by way of explanation.

"We should really wake Severus up so he can partake of our sandwich feast. He will most likely be very hungry." Dumbledore said taking out his wand.

"Why?" Tonks said emploringly, "I mean, just look at him…so peaceful…quiet…you can easily forget he's even there! Do you really want to spoil that?"

"Sad as it is, I'm afraid we must." Dumbledore said approaching the slumbering potions master with his wand raised.

"Ennervate."

Snape's eyes opened and he looked around himself in bewilderment for a moment before looking up at Dumbledore.

"Nice to have you with us again Severus. Come, join us in the munching of many yummy sandwiches." Dumbledore said cheerfully, offering Snape a hand up.

Snape took the offered hand and got to his feet looking around suspiciously at everyone. "What happened to me?"

"You fell asleep in the library." Tonks elabourated taking another sandwich as the platter passed her and taking a big bite.

"I don't just fall asleep anywhere." Snape said suspiciously eyeing Harry in particular.

"Don't look at me!" Harry said defensively. "I didn't do anything!"

Snape cast him a sceptical look.

"When I say I didn't do anything, I meant I had nothing to do with what you are thinking I had something to do with!" Harry corrected. "I have nothing to do with you whatsoever."

Snape continued to look at Harry sceptically and with suspicion.

Harry squirmed under the intense gaze.

"I'm serious. I didn't do anything."

"And even if he did, you can't prove it!" Ron blurted out in Harry's defence.

"cough not helping Ron Cough" Arthur hacked, feigning choking on a sandwich.

"Harry didn't do anything Severus. Take a chill pill and have a sandwich!" Dumbledore said cheerfully sending the platter of sandwiches to Snape who, without taking his eyes off of Harry, swiped one off of the plate and took a vicious bite out of it.

Ron leaned closer to Harry and murmured, "I think he's imagining that's your head mate!"

Harry gulped and nodded.

"I did it! It twas me!" Tonks cried triumphantly holding a sandwich up as though it were a sword.

"Did what?" Snape asked suspiciously, his black eyes moving from Harry to Tonks.

"Put you to sleep." Tonks said cheerfully. "You were yelling, and I got fed up with it, so I zonked you."

"Did you know, Severus, you sound like a fog horn when you snore." Arthur said interestedly.

"I what?"

"You snore…very loudly…sound like a fog horn." Arthur repeated.

"What's a-"

"It's a horn on a ship…a very loud honking horn that is only used when it is so foggy, you can't see anything. It lets other ships know you're around." Hermione elaborated casually.

"Insufferable know-it-all!" Snape muttered taking another sandwich from the floating plate and taking a bite.

"Well she would know that Sev, she's muggle born!" said Tonks in defence of Hermione.

Silence ensued as Snape glared so coldly at Tonks, everyone could swear they saw frost appearing on the end of Tonks' nose.

"Anyway…" Mad Eye said loudly, putting an end to the tense feeling, "What we need to figure out is how to get this marriage ended.

"Have you gotten any further since I was 'zonked' as Nymphadora so eloquently put it?" asked Snape with a sneer in his voice.

"No." Harry said flatly. "But sometimes talking about it helps to figure it out!"

"Works for us!" Ron said brightly. "We've solved lots of mysteries by doing that! like the Chamber of Secrets one, and the Goblet of fire one and -"

Snape cut him off. "Yes thank you Mr Weasley, but we don't need a running commentary on your past adventures…I feel like I'm trapped in a series of the Famous Five by Enid Blyton."

"You read the Famous Five Professor?" Hermione gasped. "Enid Blyton was my favourite author as a child! Ooh, have you read the Secret Seven? Or the Faraway Tree? Or the Wishing Chair? Or-"

Snape held up a hand to silence her. "Unfortunately, yes. I had a…friend who read them and read them all aloud to me."

His voice had dropped its sarcastic note, falling to a soft almost whimsical tone.

"It was my mum wasn't it?" Harry murmured.

"What?" Snape said sharply, glaring at Harry.

"Nothing!" Harry squeaked.

"I've read them all too!" Dumbledore piped up cheerfully. "Loved them all!"

"You read them?" Snape asked sounding mildly surprised.

"Oh yes!" Dumbledore answered. "Enid Blyton lived just around the corner from us! She used to come to visit when my sister was ill, and read her stories she had written. It was quite enchanting! I told her she should think of getting them published…and a few years later…they were!"  
Hermione was gaping at Dumbledore in awe. "You knew Enid Blyton?"

The Headmaster nodded. "Charming young woman!"

"Can we talk about something else!" Snape griped.

"Of course we can!" Dumbledore replied. "Let us discuss this marriage further."

Snape scowled.

"So, lets think. What magic could be dark and sinister enough to match that which created this marriage?" said Dumbledore addressing everyone.

Everyone thought hard, but no-one could think of anything.

"I'm going to the little Wizard's room." Ron announced standing up and leaving the room.

"I could have lived without knowing that." Snape grouched. "He could have just said he'd be back shortly!"

Five minutes later, Ron slouched in looking grumpy.

"Anyone else need to use the bathroom before we continue?" Dumbledore enquired.

everyone shook their heads.

"Then we'll continue. What sort of magic is so evil it matches that of the magic that brought about this marriage?"

"Well if you want my opinion," Ron grumbled. "I don't think anything is more evil than that bloody mistletoe of yours! I got stuck under it with Eloise Midgen on my way back here, and she used her tongue!"

"Ew." Hermione said.

"Never mind Ron, you can make up for it by kissing Mione after she's free from Snape!" Harry offered, sure that Hermione would oblige to save her friend from a scarred memory.

"HEY!" Draco cried angrily. "That's my woman you're talking about!"

"Excuse me, I hate to point it out to you all, and believe me when I say, this is just as disturbing for me to say it as it is for you all to hear it, but technically, until this marriage is dissolved, she's my woman." Snape said casually.

Harry, Ron and Draco glared at him.

"You three are so easy to wind up." Snape quipped, smirking.

"Don't I get a say in this?!" Hermione snapped. "What if I don't want to be anyone's 'woman'?"

"Sorry Mione." Harry and Ron chorused meekly.

"Sorry my love." Draco said apologetically.

"Psh!" Snape snorted. "As if I would want you as my woman!"

"You aren't exactly my first choice either Professor!" Hermione said hotly.

"You are my woman though, right?" Draco murmured to Hermione.

Hermione rolled her eyes in response.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Enter." Called Dumbledore.

The door flew open and Neville Longbottom rushed in looking excited about something.

He stopped short when he saw the group.

"Is this a bad time Professor Dumbledore?" Neville asked nervously, looking at Snape with trepidation.

"Not at all Mr Longbottom!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "Sandwich?"

"Oh, no thanks, I just ate." Neville replied.

"Your loss." Ron mumbled around a chicken sandwich.

"What can I do for you Mr Longbottom?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"I…It took me and Professor Sprout weeks to get it right, but…we've found the solution that will rid the school of the Mistletoe!"

A gasp issued from the group and Snape rushed forward, grasping a terrified Neville by the upper arms.

"Say that again." He commanded, looking Neville in the eye.

"W…we've found the solution that will get rid of the Mistletoe P…Professor Sn…Snape!" Neville squeaked.

Snape looked as though he was resisting the urge to hug Neville, which in truth he was, but he would never admit to it. Not even under veriteserum!

"Well done Mr Longbottom." Snape said stiffly, straightening up again and looking aloof.

Neville goggled at Snape a moment before turning to Dumbledore again holding up a green spray bottle full of some sort of dark looking liquid.

A sprig of Mistletoe hung just behind Dumbledore's desk and Neville went over to it and sprayed the offending plant with the solution from the spray bottle.

The Mistletoe gave a shudder before wilting and disintegrating into black powder.

A cheer went up from the Order.

"How soon can we be rid of it all?" Snape demanded.

"I can have the school completely free from it by tomorrow afternoon!" Neville replied proudly.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore said proudly, beaming at Neville. "One hundred points to Gryffindor for coming up with an ingenious mistletoe killer!"

"Neville!" Hermione gasped with glee. "You are amazing!"

"Yeah! You saved the school!" Ron declared thumping Neville on the back in congratulations.

"You rock Neville!" Harry said beaming at him.

Neville grinned and blushed, not used to being cheered for.

"Well what are you standing there for?" Snape snapped suddenly.

Neville looked at him, a little scared.

"Go boy, go! Go and kill the offending plant!" Snape hissed, pushing Neville towards the door.

Neville turned and saluted quickly before running out of the office, holding the bottle aloft in readiness to battle with the evil mistletoe that had plagued Hogwarts for over three months.

Now no-one would have to lip lock with anyone they hated ever again!

"So, back to our dilemma!" Dumbledore said cheerfully.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Well here it is, the next chapter. My stupid computer is having issues with its identity right now and thinks it is not supposed to connect to the internet, but I digress...enjoy this one, it took ages to upload!**

For the next few hours, the Order brainstormed about what the object could be.

"One of Dobby's socks?" Harry suggested.

"Highly doubt it Harry." Lupin said.

"What about the sorting hat?" Ron wondered aloud. "It almost put Harry into Slytherin! That's got to be evil!"

"That is pretty evil." Tonks pointed out.

"Yes, I doubt it is the object we are looking for." Lupin replied casting a glance at the scowling Snape.

"It can't be something Slytherin…that would be too obvious." Arthur said decisively.

"Harry's underwear!" Draco suggested.

Everyone turned to look at him in bewilderment.

"Harry's _what_?" came shocked chorus.

"Well it could be!" Draco said defensively "I mean, it would be the less obvious one wouldn't it?!"

"Yeah but…come on!" Ron cried. "Harry's pants?"

"Well it's better than the Sorting hat!" Draco shot back.

"This is getting us nowhere!" Snape snapped. "We've been at this for four hours! Its midnight!"

"Don't get your undies in a twist Sev!" Tonks said soothingly.

"Maybe it's Snape's pants!" Ron deadpanned.

Harry suppressed a laugh.

"Well, lets just call it a night everyone, and tomorrow after classes, we'll regroup and brainstorm again." Dumbledore said with a yawn.

Everyone murmured in ascension and stretched before standing up and bidding each other good night before departing.

"I suppose we'll be staying here again." Hermione said tensely.

Snape said nothing and glared pointedly at Draco who had remained behind with them.

"Don't worry my love, we'll find that object soon and you'll be free again!" Draco told Hermione, a look of longing on his face.

Hermione smiled weakly. "I hope so."

"I'd kiss you if I could…" Draco said sadly, hanging his head in remorse.

"I know." Hermione replied softly.

"Draco, it's very late and I have classes to teach in the morning!" Snape said impatiently

"Sorry. Goodnight love." Draco said blowing a kiss to Hermione.

She pretended to catch it and held it to her heart as she watched him leave.

There was a loud pop and the two beds were back on either side of the fireplace.  
Snape went to his and flicked his wand at his robes, transfiguring them into black pajamas before tossing the wand carelessly at Hermione.

She caught it and transfigured her dress into a nightgown and climbed into her bed and lay down, wondering if they would ever find that object. She really missed Draco's embrace and his kisses.

The sound of Snape's snores soon filled Dumbledore's office, reverberating off of the stone walls and causing the portraits of the old Headmaster's to complain, their fingers in their ears as they rattled on the walls.

Hermione grimaced. He was really loud!

"How can you sleep with all that racket?" One of the portraits demanded of her.

Hermione merely shrugged in response and took her pillow, putting it over her ears to at least dull the sound.

Sleep claimed her eventually, and she dreamed of Draco and mistletoe.

The morning arrived, bringing with it bright sunshine and the sweet chirping of birds outside Dumbledore's office window.

Hermione rolled over onto her other side and opened one eye.

Dumbledore sat at his desk writing while Fawkes the phoenix sat on his perch eating breakfast. The fire was crackling merrily away in the grate and Snape slept on in his bed, his back to her.

She yawned and stretched before sitting up.

Dumbledore looked up at her movement. "Oh, good morning Miss Granger!" he said jovially in a hushed voice, clearly he didn't want to wake Snape up.

"Good morning Professor." Hermione greeted with a small smile, reaching for the wand on the mantelpiece.

She did a quick cleansing charm and transfigured her robes into school robes. Having the wand first had its advantages.

"What time is it Sir?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice.

"7am." Dumbledore answered. "Breakfast will be in half an hour."

Hermione cast a glance at the sleeping Potions master.

"Let him sleep a bit longer. He gets very out of sorts if he is awoken before he's ready." Dumbledore whispered, winking mischievously.

"Does he get rudely awoken every morning then?" Hermione quipped moving over to the mirror to do her hair.

Dumbledore opened his mouth to answer before getting her joke whereupon he chuckled as quietly as he could.

"Oh, I say, that was a good one, I'll have to remember that!"

Suddenly there was a loud banging on the door before it flew open and Draco stumbled in, knocking over a chair, which fell to the floor with a bang.

Snape gave a loud snort and sat up bolt right, startled out of his sleep.

"OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!" he roared blearily, waving his arms around dramatically.

"Oh dear." Dumbledore sighed. "Draco, whatever is the matter?"

"This!" Draco squawked, handing a copy of the Daily Prophet out to the headmaster.

"You have your morning paper already?" Hermione asked surprised. "I thought it always came with the owl post at breakfast."

"My owl brings it two hours early." Draco replied dismissively, watching anxiously as Dumbledore scanned the paper.

The headmaster stared at the photograph on the front page beneath the headline, calmly ignoring Snape as he got out of bed snarling and growling, snatching the wand from Hermione and transfiguring his pajamas back into his teaching robes as he shoved her aside to get to the mirror.

Dumbledore scanned the headline on the front page and stopped suddenly, frowning.

"Oh dear…oh this is most troublesome." Dumbledore said frowning, "Severus?"

"What." Snape snapped as he roughly combed his hair in front of the mirror.

"Take a look at this." Dumbledore said holding the paper out to the irate Professor.

Snape snatched the paper from Dumbledore's hand and read over the headline before stopping, and lifting his eyes from the paper, stared at Dumbledore in apparent disbelief.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, wondering why they didn't just say whatever it was that was so disturbing in the headline out loud.

Without a word, Snape thrust the paper at her and she took it and read it aloud.

"Professor weds Student. The latest Hogwarts Scandal! A Rita Skeeter exclusive."

Beneath the glaring headline a picture of Snape alongside one of a smiling Hermione.

No-one blamed her for letting out a horrified scream. Birds flew startled from their roosts outside Dumbledore's window.

"How did this happen!?" She gasped, falling into a chair. "Everyone is going to see this at breakfast and then my life will be totally ruined!"

"Then we shan't let them see it." Dumbledore said simply, tying a message to Fawkes' leg. "Take this to Harry." he told the phoenix gently.

The bird took flight out of the open window and headed straight for Gryffindor tower.

Five minutes later, Harry was knocking on the door and entered with Ron in tow.

"Oh Harry just look at this!" Hermione wailed handing him the paper.

Harry took it and Draco pointed to the offending article.

"Merlin's beard!" Harry squawked.

"Bloody hell!" Ron gaped.

"So you see the situation is not acceptable." Dumbledore said calmly. "We must prevent the Daily Prophet from reaching the students. That way we can prevent mass chaos!"

"But how? The owls bring them from the office of the Daily Prophet directly!" Snape demanded.

"Then we must prevent the owls from delivering the paper." Dumbledore replied firmly picking up his pot of flu powder and throwing it into the fire before putting his head into the green flames.

He retreated a minute later. "I've informed the minister and got permission to intersect the owls. Quickly, to the front lawn."

They all hurried out of the office, leaving the offending paper behind them on Dumbledore's desk.

They got outside and watched the skies for the owls coming in.

Ten minutes passed before the first few owls began coming in.

Dumbledore whistled clearly and amazingly, the owls came towards him instead of heading for the great hall as they always did.

Before long, hundreds of owls sat on the grass before the six wizards and witch.

"Now, get the papers." Dumbledore instructed.

It took fifteen minutes and many nipped fingers, but they got all of the daily prophets from the owls, leaving them with the mail.

The owls all began hooting at once and pecked at their feet.

"They want the money owed to the Daily Prophet." Hermione said fretfully.

Dumbledore took out his money pouch and handed each of them a knut.

"Go ahead, put it in the pouches on their legs!"

"But there's only one!" Ron bleated. "There's hundreds of them!"

Hermione placed a knut in the money pouch of the owl nearest her and another Knut appeared in her hand.

And so the six went through the throng of owls putting a knut in each of the owls pouches.

Fifteen minutes later, and the owls stopped their demanding hooting and sat waiting for their next order.

"They can take the rest of the mail to the students." Dumbledore said sounding satisfied. He whistled again and the owls took off with the remainder of their mail and into the roof of the great hall to deliver it to the students within.

Sighing with relief that they had succeeded in at least keeping the students of Hogwarts in the dark, they headed for breakfast in the great hall, taking their places as they had the day before at the top of Gryffindor table.

"That was close." Said Ron with relief as he sat down to his breakfast and started shovelling it into his mouth like a starved man.

Breakfast was going well, everyone was chatting and laughing and eating heartily.

Hermione was thoroughly enjoying her breakfast of bacon and eggs, and sipping on her morning tea. Her apatite had returned with a vengeance since the whole marriage thing had occurred.

Breakfast was almost over when something happened that would ruin the whole day.

"OH MY GOSH! PROFESSOR SNAPE AND HERMIONE GRANGER ARE MARRIED!!" Shrieked a voice.

Draco, Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Dumbledore froze in horror. Snape made a snorting choking sound as he choked on his coffee and some came out of his nose.

Everyone fell silent. You could have heard a pin drop in the great hall, it was so quiet as everyone stared at the one who had made the announcement.

Colin Creevey stood at his place in the middle of the Gryffindor table, goggling at the copy of the Daily Prophet he held in his hand.

"Uh oh." Harry murmured, staring along with everyone else at Colin.

"How did he…" Draco whispered in shock.

"Rita Skeeter is his aunt!" Hermione said in a trembling voice barely audible. "He must get a privileged early copy of the Prophet before everyone else gets theirs."

"Like me." Draco said swallowing hard. "Wait for it…" he added as everyone turned to gawp at Hermione, and Snape who was sitting at the teachers table behind her.

"So that's how she get such good grades in Potions!" Pansy Parkinson shrieked breaking the ringing silence.

As soon as she had spoken, the great hall erupted in whispering and murmuring about what they'd just heard.

The teachers who were not aware of the situation leaned over to gape at Snape.

"My office," Dumbledore said urgently to Snape, "Quickly!"

Snape shot out of his seat and hurriedly whispered to Hermione and the rest, "Dumbledore's office, now."

They obeyed immediately and hurried after Snape from the great hall, Harry, Ron and Draco shielding Hermione from view of prying eyes.

Dumbledore stood up. "SILENCE!" He barked.

The great hall fell silent and stared at Dumbledore waiting for an explanation.

"Is it true?!" Someone shouted.

Dumbledore sighed. "Calm yourselves. The Daily Prophet has clearly made a mistake."

"But it says right here, 'Professor marries student, Hogwart's latest scandal!" Colin Creevey argued. "It has their pictures and everything!"

"Why didn't we get our paper this morning?!" Someone in Slytherin piped up.

"IT'S A COVER-UP!!" Declared another Slytherin.

"BE QUIET!" Dumbledore thundered. "The Daily Prophet has made a mistake and I will contact the author of such a malicious story immediately and have it put to rights. Now I ask all of you to be rational and think for yourselves. Do not question Miss Granger or Professor Snape on this matter as there is no truth in this ridiculous accusation! Classes will start in 15 minutes, I suggest you all head off to them."

The muttering students began to file out of the great hall and head for their books and such before class.

The Professors stared at Dumbledore.

"It _is_ a mistake isn't it Headmaster?" Flitwick asked.

Dumbledore sighed. It was time to be honest with his staff. He got up out of his seat and moved around the table to stand in front of them.

"I'm afraid it is true." He said.

Gasps issued from the staff.

"Allow me to explain the situation." Dumbledore said holding up a hand to silence them all.

He told them everything and horrified gasps and cries of outrage followed.

"So you see," he concluded, "it is imperative that the students do not find out about this under any circumstances. Carry on as normal, any questions you get in class about this situation, kindly deflect it. We must protect Severus and Miss Granger until this has been dealt with. And now, I must go and deal with Rita Skeeter about her article. I need to determine how she found out about it."

And with that, Dumbledore swept out of the Great hall and headed for his office.

He entered to find Hermione sobbing on her knees on the floor surrounded by Harry, Ron and Draco who were trying to comfort her and Snape paced the floor behind them angrily.

"It'll be alright Mione!" Harry said soothingly. "Dumbledore will fix it, you'll see!"

"My life is ruined!" Hermione sobbed, "Completely ruined!"

"No it isn't!" Draco soothed. "It's just on hold for a while. Once we get that object and end this marriage, everything will be just fine!"

"But what hope have we got of finding it?!" Hermione wailed. "It could be anything in the wizarding world!"

"How did that repulsive woman find out?!" Snape snarled.

"She turned into a beetle in our fourth year." Hermione hiccoughed. "She might have done the same again and overheard us discussing it."

"I'll kill her!" Snape growled. "I'll kill her!!"

Ron watched Snape as he paced, looking a little scared.

"Well you're welcome to!" Hermione said venomously, "And I hope you do it in a really painful and humiliating way!"

"That can be arranged." Snape replied with a snarl.

"Now now, there's no need to talk of killing anyone." Dumbledore said calmly as he moved to sit at his desk.

"But it would make us feel so much better!" Draco protested. "She's a horrible person! The world would be better off without her!"

"How many lives has she made more difficult, or ruined altogether?!" Harry said angrily, recalling his fourth year thanks to the same reporter. "She almost ruined mine, and now she's going to ruin Hermione's!"

"And Professor Snape's." Hermione put in with a sniffle.

"See? We'd be doing the world a favour if we just killed her!"

"Voldemort and this bint should get married. They deserve each other!" Ron spat.

"Wow that's harsh!" Harry said quietly. "But she does totally deserve it!" he added quickly at the murderous looks his companions threw him.

"I will deal with her directly." Dumbledore said taking his floo powder pot from the mantelpiece and moving over to his fire.

Throwing it in before placing his head into the green flames, he called out, "Daily Prophet complaints!"

All the rest could do was stand and listen to one side of the conversation Dumbledore was having.

"Yes, I'd like to make a complaint. It is a very delicate matter and so it would be best if I could call the person responsible along with an official or supervisor of sorts to come to Hogwarts immediately…via this fire if at all possible!" Dumbledore voice said from the flames.

"Yes, Rita Skeeter for her front page news in this morning's paper…no, not acceptable at all. I demand to speak with her immediately in the manner I proposed a moment ago…excellent!"

Dumbledore withdrew and stepped back from the flames.

"They are coming immediately. Now try to keep a civil tongue in your heads!" Dumbledore reminded them all.

They waited a minute or so before the flames in the fireplace gave a sudden roar and out stepped a wizard wearing business robes and a bowler hat. He was a stocky, middle-aged man who reminded one rather of Winston Churchill.

"Good morning!" He greeted in a cheerful manner. "Rita will be along in a moment."

"And you are?" Snape said with a curled lip.

"Boris Pemberton, manager of the complaints department at the Daily Prophet!" he answered with a bow.

"Get a lot of complaints?" Harry asked edgily.

"A fair amount, yes." Came the cheerful reply. "Nothing all that major though." Pemberton added, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Have you seen this mornings Daily Prophet?" Harry demanded.

How could this man be so cheerful when he was about to have the proverbial crap ripped out of him by Dumbledore?

"Unfortunately, I haven't had the pleasure yet. Came in late this morning, dodgy curry last night." Pemberton replied, patting his round belly. "I was up all night on the toilet! Don't think I'll be sitting down for a while!"

Everyone made a face.

There was another roar from the fire and out stepped Rita Skeeter primping her blond hair and wearing blinding clingy robes of luminous pink.

Snape glared at her, along with the three students present.

"Dumbledore! How lovely to see you!" Rita crooned before turning to survey everyone else.

"And what have we here?" She cooed advancing on the group.

"Professor Snape…pleasure to meet you!" She looked Snape up and down licking her lips. "Heard a lot about you. A dark brooding man if ever I saw one! The Mr Darcy of Hogwarts!"

A snort brought her flirtation to an abrupt end and Rita's vulture like stare fell on Hermione.

"And Hermione Snape." Rita crowed condescendingly.

"Its Granger." Hermione snapped. "Hermione Granger!"

"You've picked a right one here Professor! But I'm sure you can handle her!" Rita remarked winking at Snape who turned a beautiful shade of purple in his suppressed rage while Draco silently restrained him from throttling her with his bare hands.

"Harry Potter!" Rita remarked in a high squeak. "What brings you here? Were you best man?!" She asked eagerly, whipping out her quick quotes quill and notepad.

"Incidentally, that is why I asked you here Miss Skeeter." Dumbledore said sternly.

Rita turned back to face Dumbledore, feigning innocence.

"I was told something about a complaint. What is your complaint?" she asked sweetly.

"Your report on the front page this morning regarding Professor Snape and Miss Granger!" Dumbledore answered, pinning her with a piercing gaze.

"Is it not true? My sources are quite reliable Headmaster, and I only, as you know, report the truth!" Rita said waving away his complaint.

"I don't care what your sources are!" Dumbledore said firmly. "I do care, however, when the lives of one of my staff and one of my students, who I must state clearly, are both under my protection, are subjected to public slander and humiliation! Your article was potentially devastating to their lives. You had no right whatsoever to publish anything regarding them at all!"

"Freedom of speech Headmaster…it's a free country." Rita replied airily.

"Well in that case, I see no reason to restrict Professor Snape any further." Dumbledore said simply, signalling to Snape who rose

immediately to the occasion and moved swiftly to stand intimidatingly close to the flustered reporter.

"Please Professor! A little personal space-" she said nervously.

"Don't give me that you Snotty nosed heap of Hippogryff droppings!" Snape barked.

"But I was just-" Rita protested.

"Shut your festering mouth you chit! Your type really makes me sick, you vacuous, toffee nosed, malodorous bint!!" Snape bellowed at her.

She was quite taken aback and her mouth opened and closed in apparent shock of being spoken to in such a manner as she goggled up at Snape.

"Now just one minute here!" She began but Snape wasn't finished.

"If I weren't held in place by law, I would take that ridiculous pen and notepad of yours and shove it so far up you backside, you'd be spitting green feathers and bits of parchment for a month!"

"You have no right to speak to me in such a way!!" Rita cried angrily.

"Of course he has…freedom of speech remember?" Hermione crowed sweetly.

Rita looked around at them all, apparently unable to find anything to say in response.

"Don't look at me!" Harry snapped as her eyes fell on him "I hope he does exactly what he threatened to do! You deserve it. You've made my life a misery with your stupid false reports and gossip mongering, and now you're making my friend's life miserable. Everything was fine until you wrote that article in this morning's paper! You've ruined everything!"

"Rita, what exactly were your sources for this story?" Pemberton asked suddenly, reminding everyone he was there.

Rita looked flustered. "I…well I'm an animagi, I heard it with my own ears from the Library windows!"

"And just what were you doing listening in at windows at Hogwarts?" Dumbledore demanded.

"Getting stories of course. It's my job!" Rita replied in a 'Duh' voice.

"You had no right!" Hermione shouted angrily and starting forward. She wanted nothing more than to let her hand connect with the vile woman's cheek.

Snape held her back, being the only one in the room besides Rita who could touch her.

"It isn't worth it Miss Granger!" he told her, "Though I sympathise with you in your desire to beat her to within an inch of her treacherous life!"

"Still addressing her by her maiden name? That's odd for a newly married couple don't you think?" Rita remarked vulturously.

"You just don't know when to stop do you!?" Draco snarled. "Don't you get it? You've ruined everything! And for what?! For the sake of your stupid paper?!"

"Well I told no lie! They are married aren't they?!" Rita shot back.

No-one said anything, too content to glare at her.

"Are they married?" Pemberton asked cautiously.

"Yes, they are, but it is under circumstances beyond their control!" Dumbledore said grimly.

"Oh, so it was an arranged or a forced marriage?" Rita said with relish, her green pen scribbling furiously. "Who's responsible?"

"You don't want to know." Ron said grimly.

"Look, just stop!" Harry snapped "You got your story and you printed it and did a lot of damage. Now will you please just apologise and leave!"

"Apologise?!" Rita squawked indignantly. "I have done nothing wrong! What have I to apologise for?!"

"FOR RUINING OUR LIVES!!" Hermione screamed.

"I didn't ruin your lives." Rita pshawed. "Everyone will have forgotten about it in a few days."

"In case you hadn't noticed, Hogwarts is a little community all of its own. The Students do not forget things like this…this will haunt us forever!" Dumbledore pointed out grimly. "We've asked you kindly, and you have refused. Now I will file a formal complaint and take you to the Ministry for a hearing on the matter. My aim? To get the Daily Prophet shut down."

Rita and Pemberton gaped. "You can't do that!"

"Watch me." Dumbledore replied darkly.

"Now now," Pemberton said hastily "There's no need for that Dumbledore!"

"I've told you once." Dumbledore said, "My students and my staff are under my protection and I will do whatever is necessary to shield them from this woman. If I have to shut the whole paper down to get my message across to her, then that is precisely what I will do."

Pemberton rushed to soothe everyone. "What exactly do you want from us?"

"A public apology, written on the front page of the evening edition of the Daily Prophet, apologising for the mistake, and telling all that what was reported was not true." Dumbledore answered evenly.

"But that's a lie!" Rita cried.

"It won't be for long." Dumbledore replied. "This marriage will not continue for much longer, that I can assure you."

Rita and Pemberton spoke with each other in hushed voices for a moment before turning back to the group.

"Alright, you win." Pemberton said defeated. "We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused you."

"This evening's headline." Dumbledore reminded them showing them the fire.

They hurried into it as Dumbledore threw in the floo powder and they disappeared.

"Well, that should take care of Hogwarts at least." Dumbledore said heavily as he sat at his desk. "Tom has a lot to answer for. If this costs me any money, I'm sending him the bill!"

There was a knock at the door and Dumbledore called "Enter!"

Neville entered the office and glanced around nervously at Hermione and Snape.

"What is it Mr Longbottom?" Dumbledore enquired.

"Uh…oh yes, um, just wanted to tell you that it's taking a bit longer than I thought to get rid of the mistletoe. There's a lot more of it since last night…people keep hexing it! But I should have it done by tonight, hopefully before curfew."

"Thank you Mr Longbottom." Dumbledore said smiling at Neville. "Off you go to class dear boy."

"Mr Longbottom," Snape said stopping Neville by way of an arm across the doorway.

Neville gulped and looked up at Snape. "Sir?"

"Has anyone…are the students…" Snape seemed to be unable to put into words his question, but Neville seemed to grasp what he was asking about and answered him.

"They're whispering about it, but nothing bad. More confused than anything."

Snape removed his arm from the doorway and jerked his head in a signal for Neville to go.

"I have a feeling half of the school or more will find itself in detention today." Snape murmured darkly.

"All we can do for now is go about as we usually do and get together this evening to discuss the cure." Dumbledore said wearily. "Off to class with you all and remember, don't retaliate if questions are asked, it will only fuel their talk."

Nodding grimly, they all trooped out of Dumbledore's office leaving the Headmaster to his occupation and thoughts.


	35. Chapter 35

They got to the point where they would have gone their separate ways, but something had occurred to Snape

Nobody spoke as they walked.

Once they had gotten to the point where they would have gone their separate ways, something had occurred to Snape.

"Miss Granger…we have another problem." He said with a wince.

"What?" Hermione said with dread.

"We can't separate." Snape reminded her.

Hermione smacked a hand to her forehead. "Oh yes. I had forgotten about that…I have class! What am I going to do?!"

"You? I have to teach classes…I can't have you hovering around me while I teach!" Snape retorted.

"Well I can't miss class!" Hermione repeated getting upset.

"Potions won't be a problem my love, you could just come up with an excuse to sit with Professor Snape." Draco put in.

"And what about the rest of my classes!?" Hermione said tearfully.

"You know, it might be best to go back to Dumbledore about this." Harry put in.

Sighing resignedly, they all trooped back to Dumbledore's office and entered.

"Back so soon?" Dumbledore chuckled.

"You forgot one little problem." Snape informed him in a clipped tone.

"Oh?" Dumbledore said by way of enquiring.

"Yes, you forgot that Miss Granger and I cannot part!" Snape snapped. "I cannot teach and she cannot go to class!"  
"Ah yes…that problem…well I must confess, Severus, that it had slipped my mind momentarily," Dumbledore mused as he turned to his desk drawer and began rummaging around in it. "Lemon drop anyone?" he asked holding one aloft.

"No thank you." Came the chorus.

"Your loss." Dumbledore shrugged popping the questionable looking sweet into his mouth as he returned to rummaging in his drawer.

"Ah yes, here we are." He said triumphantly holding up a gold hourglass on a long necklace. "This should help."

"A timeturner!" Hermione gasped taking the delicate trinket from the Headmaster, "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"

"Yes, now you can attend class and Severus, you can teach class and no-one is any the wiser!" Dumbledore beamed. "Off you go then…time is ticking!"

They all trooped back out of the headmaster's office, Hermione wearing the timeturner.

"Your class or mine first Professor?" She asked Snape.

"Mine." Snape answered waspishly.

"See you guys in class!" Hermione chirruped to Harry, Ron and Draco.

They stood back to give them some room and watched curiously as Hermione reached up and put the chain of the necklace around her and Snape's necks. She was about to turn it when she thought of something. "Harry, could I borrow your invisibility cloak please? I think it would be easier for us both if we could use it when we are in each other's classes!"

"Yeah, sure!" Harry said rummaging in his book bag and pulling out his invisibility cloak and tossing it to Hermione. "Good luck Mione!"

"Thanks…well here goes." Hermione said tucking the invisibility cloak under one arm before turning the hourglass a one turn.

Draco and Harry gasped as Snape and Hermione melted away before them. Ron on the other hand grinned. "Yeah, that's cool. I remember you and Hermione vanishing like that!" he added to Harry.

"Weird." Draco mused. "Well, I have Ancient runes. See you."

Harry and Ron waved to Draco and headed for Transfiguration.

Meanwhile, Hermione and Snape hurried towards the dungeons to get there before any of Snape's students.

"Quickly, put that thing on!" Snape hissed at her grabbing the invisibility cloak and throwing it over Hermione.

Hermione made sure she was completely covered and sat in the corner by Snape's desk while he went to open the door to let his first year class enter.

They did so quietly and took their seats. Some stared at him, almost frightened and others exchanged glances, looking around as though expecting someone else to be there.

"What are you all looking for?" Snape demanded harshly.

"Nothing Professor Snape!" Came the startled chorus.

"Good, now turn in your books to page…"

Hermione sat in her corner, bored to distraction. She remembered this lesson from her first year. The potion was so simple, she almost snapped at the first year boy who had gotten it wrong, but held her tongue in time.

Suddenly, Hermione had to go to the bathroom. She glanced at Snape who was seated at his desk marking papers before getting up and moving cautiously toward him. She leaned down and whispered in his ear.

"Professor Snape…I have to go and powder my nose."

Snape jumped visibly but managed to pass it off as a random motion, pretending there was a spider on his hand.

Hermione was dancing on the spot now. "Please Professor, I have to go now!" She hissed.

Snape irritably threw his quill down and stood up abruptly causing several first years in the front row to jump, startled.

"I shall be back in a few minutes, do not touch or do anything. If I find anything out of place when I return, heads will roll. No talking." Snape said briskly sweeping toward the door with Hermione at his heels.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Hermione took off running, almost yanking Snape off his feet.

"Miss Granger! No running in the corridors!" Snape hissed as he staggered several steps forward.

Hermione rounded on him. "I have to pee and I have to pee NOW!" She hissed back. "Hurry up or I shall go right here!"

Suddenly, they both froze as they heard voices and footsteps approaching. He grabbed the invisibility cloak from Hermione and threw it over them both as the footsteps descended into the dungeons. He caught her by the sleeve and pulled her to a halt. She saw Pansy Parkinson approaching with Blaise Zabini. Snape and Hermione both pressed themselves against the wall under the cloak to avoid touching the two Slytherins.

"Well I think that insufferable little mudblood did it on purpose!" Pansy sniffed

"Come on Pansy, I mean, I know she's a devious little chit and all but she wouldn't go so far as to blackmail Professor Snape into marrying her just to get a top grade in potions!"

Beneath the cloak, Snape clapped a hand over Hermione's mouth, anticipating or rather sensing her anger and knowing her tendency to voice her emotions.

Hermione meanwhile had whipped out her wand and was holding it ready for a non verbal spell when Snape's free hand came atop it and pushed it back down.

"Tolerance Miss Granger, is next to godliness." Snape murmured.

Hermione wrestled her hand holding the wand free and used the non-verbal "Muffliato." Spell.

Snape suddenly hissed and jerked his hand away from her mouth as though burned glaring at her irately.

"We can talk without being heard now in case you are wondering." Hermione informed him.

"You bit me!" Snape said in angry disbelief.

"You had your hand over my mouth and nose, I couldn't breathe!" Hermione snapped back before turning her wand on Pansy again.

"Don't you dare!" Snape hissed at her.

"Oh come on!" Hermione whispered, "They're just right there! Pansy's bum is begging to be hexed eight times it's normal size!"

"Absolutely not, I forbid it!" Snape snapped.

"Fine." She huffed, and reluctantly stowed her wand back into her robes. "And, I think you'll find the saying is actually 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness.' Urgh…not that Zabini would know anything about that! Hasn't he heard of deoderant?"

"I've tried telling him, but he simply won't hear of it." Snape sighed, his nose wrinkling as Blaise and Pansy passed by with a whiff of male teenage odour and Pansy's heavy perfume.

"That is some seriously funky perfume." Hermione said holding her sleeve to her nose.

"I thought you had to go to the bathroom?" Snape said.

"Too late." Hermione said.

"What??" Snape gasped in abject horror and made to step away hastily.

"Just kidding Professor, don't have kittens!" Hermione snorted. "But I do really have to go now so can we hurry?"  
"Then it is fortunate for you that I know a shortcut to the third floor corridor." Snape said waspishly leading the way.

They took a hidden passageway that Snape opened by means of pulling a torch on the wall of the dungeons and they hurried up the steep stairs.

They emerged staggering onto the deserted third floor corridor gasping for breath.

"Hogwart's should have a gym or something to keep us in shape…those stairs were murder!" Hermione gasped clutching her side as she staggered down the corridor to the girl's bathroom and Hermione yanked Snape inside.

"Just wait over there…and cover your ears!" Hermione said dashing into a stall.

There was a moment of silence before she spoke again.  
"Are your ears covered Professor?"

"No." Snape replied with a sneer.

"Well I can't go until you do!" Hermione snapped.

"This is ridiculous, just go already so I can get back to my class!" Snape snapped back.

"I can't if you are listening!" Hermione insisted.

"Fine…they're covered!" Snape told her, his fingers in his ears.

A minute passed and he saw Hermione emerge from the cubicle looking much more comfortable.

"That's better." She said as she washed her hands.

Snape snorted and jerked his head in the direction of the door.

"I'd better go first, check to see if the coast is clear." Hermione said sensibly.

Snape watched her open the door a crack and put her head out.

A couple of moments passed before she motioned with her hand.

They could almost hear the 'mission impossible' theme tune!

"Coast is clear Professor!" she said quietly.

They both hurried out and down the hidden passage they had came up by and emerged once more into the dungeons.

Hermione threw on the cloak and followed Snape back towards his classroom.

The Timeturner turned out to be very effective that morning, and they made it to lunch feeling like they had both gone a whole school day, but felt it was worth it not to be pointed and stared at and whispered about.

As was required, Hermione, Harry, Ron and Draco sat themselves down at the end of Gryffindor table nearest the teachers table where Snape sat looking careworn as he ate his lunch of vegetable soup and bread.

"It's working, it's just hard." Hermione told her friends. "I feel like I've had a full day of classes already and we're just halfway through the day."

"So nobody has suspected that you are in Snape's classes and vice versa?" Harry asked before taking a spoonful of soup in his mouth.

"Not that I am aware of." Hermione replied taking a bite of bread.

Ron and Draco glanced around the great hall glaring at anyone who dared to look at Hermione.

Neville approached looking pleased with himself. "Hey guys…Draco."

Draco nodded to Neville in greeting.

"Hey Neville." Chorused Hermione, Ron and Harry.

"I've almost got it all, just a few more sprigs around to zap and we'll be free of the mistletoe!" Neville beamed holding up his spray bottle.

"That's great Neville!" Harry said grinning. "How many more exactly?"

"I'm not sure…but it can't be alot considering I've zapped about 670 sprigs already. Just the dungeons to do now…it's harder to spot it down there, and there are all of those unused classrooms and stuff, and then there's Professor Snape's classroom, and of course the Slytherin common room and dorms."

He looked nervously at Draco who was busy glaring at a third year girl who was staring unabashedly at Hermione and Snape.

"Maybe you should ask Draco to get you into the Slytherin common room Neville." Harry suggested.

"And ask him to stay with you while you are in there…never know with those Slytherins, you'll be lucky to make it out in once piece!" Ron added.

Upon hearing his name being mentioned, Draco turned away from his glaring to look at the four Gryffindors.

"Sorry, I was glaring at people, what were you saying?" he said.

"We were just suggesting that Neville ask you to get him into the Slytherin common room to rid the room and the dorms of the mistletoe." Harry answered.

"Oh sure, if I wanted to be lynched!" Draco replied "Are you insane Longbottom? Take a Gryffindor into Slytherin house?"

"Well how else is he supposed to get the mistletoe out of the Slytherin dungeon?" Ron demanded.

"Ask him!" Draco replied jabbing his thumb at Snape who was eating his lunch moodily.

Neville paled. "But…but he…I…"

"Are you a Gryffindor or not Longbottom?" Draco demanded, slamming his goblet down on the table in front of his plate.

"Yes!" Neville said scowling.

"Then act like one! Go up there and ask Snape if he will kindly accompany you into the Slytherin common room while you de-mistletoe it…or why not just ask him to do it himself?" Draco said briskly.

Neville looked horrified at Draco's suggestion and looked to Harry and Ron for help.

"He's got a point Neville." Ron said apologetically.

"But it's Snape!" Neville sputtered. "He'll chop me up and pickle me for potions if I ask him to do any of that!"

"He's not so bad once you get to know him!" Hermione told him as she buttered some bread. "He can be really agreeable sometimes."

Harry and Ron gaped at her.

"What?" Hermione said defensively "I said sometimes!"

Draco smiled at Hermione and reached for her hand only to be tossed from his seat by some unseen force as though he'd received a vicious blow to the chin.

Ron and Harry burst out into gales of laughter.

"Blast!" Draco growled as he hastily got back into his seat and smoothed his hair. "Forgot about that stupid charm!"

"It's getting a little aggressive isn't it?" Ron remarked once he'd stopped laughing enough to talk. "Before it was just like an invisible wall."

"My guess is that it senses Draco as more of a threat and treats him as such." Hermione sighed miserably.

"It's not fair." Draco said echoing her misery as he glanced up at Snape who was watching him with some degree of mirth.

"Its alright for him, he can hug you if he wanted to." Draco said resentfully.

Everyone stared at him.

"Yeah," Said Harry breaking the silence, "because you know Snape just loves hugging people! He's such a hug fiend! And Mione is first on his list of people he'd most like to hug…right after me of course, I mean, he's always ambushing me for hugs and stuff."

Hermione couldn't help herself and almost laughed her pumpkin juice out of her nose.

"You know what I mean Potter!" Draco snapped.

Ron was red in the face with suppressed laughter as his imagination took him through a journey complete with skipping and dancing Snape hugging everyone he came across and "Living In The Sunlight." by Tiny Tim playing along with the image.

Thankfully, nobody had the ability to read his mind…or so he thought. His laughter was abruptly brought to a close upon looking up to see Snape staring at him with a murderous look on his face.

Looking quickly away again, Ron changed the subject. "So, almost rid of the mistletoe! Can't wait until it's all gone!"

"You can say that again." Harry groused.

"Are you going to ask Professor Snape to help you Neville?" Hermione asked.

"I…I really don't want to." Neville said with a gulp.

"What if I came with you to ask, would that help?" Hermione offered kindly.

Neville nodded stiffly.

"Come on then." Hermione said abruptly standing up and moving towards Snape.

Ron shoved Neville after Hermione and the three boys watched the two approach Snape.

"Sorry to interrupt your lunch Professor Snape, but Neville has something he wishes to ask you." Hermione said moving aside to reveal a trembling Neville.

Whispers filled the hall as Hermione stood before Snape.

Snape's eyes darted around briefly before glaring pointedly at Hermione. They lingered on her for a moment before moving onto Neville.

"Well?" Snape said in a sneering voice. "I haven't got all day Mr Longbottom."

"I…I was…I need…" Neville mumbled.

"Spit it out boy!" Snape snapped.

Neville gave a squeak of fear and ducked behind Hermione again.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Neville wants to know if you would help him get into the Slytherin common room so he can de-mistletoe it along with the dorms Professor."

Snape glared at Neville for a moment before answering. "Very well, come along Longbottom."

He stood up, dropping his napkin onto the table.

"But…I…" Hermione protested as Snape stepped down from the teachers table and moved past Hermione and Neville.

Snape stopped to face her, an expectant look on his face.

"I'm not finished eating!" Hermione finally spat out.

"Neither was I, Miss Granger, but see how little it matters?" Snape sneered before making to move off.

Hermione grasped his sleeve and hissed, "Wait!"

Snape winced as a unified gasp went up from the onlookers. This was followed by yet more whispering.

"If you go I have to go too and that will just give everyone more reason to gossip! They'll be thinking the most awful things about us if we leave together!" Hermione whispered to him.

Snape surveyed her for a moment. "Let them talk, I want that mistletoe out of my dungeons as soon as possible."

"Oi, Mione." Ron said in a hushed voice, leaning in to talk to her. "He's got a point you know, that mistletoe is pure evil and ought to be gotten rid of right away. If that means giving some idiots another reason to gossip, then that's a small price to pay for getting rid of that bloody evil plant."

"He's right Hermione," Harry put in. "The sooner it's gone the better…it's done none of us any good!"

"Fine." Hermione said reluctantly.

Snape turned and strolled out of the great hall with Hermione and Neville in tow.

Whispers followed them as they left the great hall much to Hermione's dislike.

Out in the entrance hall, Snape stopped so abruptly that Hermione and Neville collided with him.

"Ouch!" Hermione squeaked, rubbing her nose after it's collision with Snape's shoulder.

Neville mumbled an apology to Hermione and they both peered around Snape to see why he had stopped so suddenly.

Peeves the poltergeist was hovering slightly above Snape looking quite pleased with himself. In his hand he held a large bunch of mistletoe.

"Looky what I have here!" He crowed with a simpering grin presenting the mistletoe in his cupped hands as though it was a delicate flower.

"Where did you get that from Peeves?" Snape said in a stern voice.

"Not telling!" Peeves answered before blowing a raspberry at Snape.

"Peeves, don't make me hurt you." Snape warned.

Peeves seemed to ignore this threat and swooped around them a few times cackling madly before coming to a stop to hover in front of them again grinning ridiculously. His silver eyes moved to from Snape to Neville and then to Hermione.

His expression was one of devious delight. "Well well, this could be very interesting!" he crowed waving the mistletoe around. "Two boysies and one girlie! What fun!"

"Don't you even think about it!" Snape snapped brandishing his wand.

"Too late Prof! Already thought about it, so can't take it back!" Peeves replied rudely thrusting the mistletoe at them.

They jumped back to avoid coming beneath it, Snape treading on Hermione's foot in the process, but she didn't complain.

"Come on then, who wants a kissy wissy?" Peeves crowed floating towards them with the mistletoe in his hand.

They continued to back away from him until their backs hit the wall of the great hall.

"RUN!!" Neville yelled hysterically before darting around Peeves and taking off into the dungeons.

Hermione and Snape bolted after him.

Peeves cackled madly as he swooped after them brandishing the mistletoe. "Kissy wissy!"

"MY OFFICE!!" Snape bellowed waving his wand.

The door to his office lay a few feet in front of them and the door flew open.

Neville bolted in followed by Hermione and Snape and they slammed the door shut. Snape immediately threw up some wards at the door so Peeves could not enter.

They heard him arrive at the door however.

"Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in!" He crooned.

"How did he get a hold of that mistletoe?" Snape snarled. "I thought you said you got rid of it all Longbottom!"

"I…I did, from the rest of the castle! I still have down here to do! He probably got it from the Slytherin common room or something!" Neville replied shakily.

"What are we going to do?" Hermione panted, clutching the stitch in her side. "He's got us trapped!"

"You can't stay in there forever!" Peeves said obstinately through the door.

"He will get bored of waiting." Snape said trying to catch his breath. "Then he will leave."

As if on cue, Peeves broke into a song. "If it takes forever, I will wait for yooooou, for a thousand summers, I will waaaait for yooooou!!"

"Longbottom, you need to get that mistletoe from him." Snape said suddenly, gesturing at the spray bottle in Neville's hand.

Neville paled. "Me? Why me?"

Snape sighed with impatience. "Because you are the one with the stuff to kill the mistletoe he threatens us with!"

"How am I supposed to get it from him?" Neville asked nervously.

"We'll help!" Hermione piped up.

"What?" Snape said flatly.

"We'll distract Peeves, and you spray the mistletoe in his hand!" Hermione explained.

"Fine." Snape snapped moving toward the door. "Be ready with that bottle Longbottom, if you mess this up, I'll give you detention for the rest of you life!"

Neville gulped but nodded. "I'll do my best."

"Well then, we're doomed aren't we?" Snape said nastily.

"Professor please, I have classes after lunch!" Hermione said becoming a little hysterical.

Snape moved to the door and grasped the handle.

"On the count of three, I'll open the door, Miss Granger and I will lure Peeves down to us, when he gets close enough, you spray the plant with that stuff and we'll be free of it!"

"Wait!" Neville gasped. "Do we go out on three or after?"

"On." Hermione replied quickly, noticing Snape's irritability reaching new heights as a vein throbbed in his temple.

Snape began the countdown. "One…two…THREE!!"

He threw the door open and he and Hermione dashed out into the corridor.

"OOOH!" Peeves cackled "I love a good chase. Run Run as fast as you can!! Kissy wissy, smoochy coochy!"

He swooped after Snape and Hermione as they ran further into the dungeons.

They led him to the Slytherin common room entrance before Snape grabbed Hermione's arm and swung her bodily around to run in the opposite direction.

"OI!!" Peeves yelled indignantly. "You is tricksy you is!" he did a somersault in mid air and swooped after them again laughing manically.

"NEVILLE!!" Hermione cried as they ran at him.

Neville braced himself with the bottle of mistletoe killer and gulped as Snape and Hermione and Peeves flew at him.

Snape and Hermione shot past him and Neville squirted as Peeves passed by with the plant.

"GOT IT!" Neville yelled.

Snape and Hermione staggered to a stop and turned to face Peeves who was still grinning and brandishing the weapon.

"HAHAHAA!! Peevesy has you now! You can't run forever." The poltergeist crowed.

"What are you going to do Peeves?" Snape panted.

"Make you kiss a student!!" Peeves cackled. "Then you'll get fired for greasing up a student!"

"And how are you going to do that?" Snape enquired condescendingly.

"With this!" Peeves yelled in triumph, holding up the withered plant. He stared at it for a moment before letting out a wail. "You tricked me you did!!" He howled "Tricked old Peevesy!"

"Leave now Peeves or I shall summon the Bloody Baron!" Snape ordered. "And the headmaster shall hear of your attempted trickery."

Peeves blew a big raspberry at Snape before swooping off out of the dungeon.

"Now, get the rest of this accursed mistletoe before he gets his hands on some more!" Snape commanded Neville.

They hurried to the Slytherin common room and Snape said the password, bidding them entrance.

Neville hunted around the common room seeking out the sprigs of mistletoe and spraying each one he found.

When he was quite sure that the common room was void of them, Snape led him up to the dormitories.

Once he was confident no mistletoe remained in the Slytherin living quarters, Neville, Snape and Hermione left the common room and headed back towards the potions room.

They were just about to enter it when the bell rang, signaling the start of afternoon classes.

"Damn!" Snape hissed, "My room will have to wait until after dinner Longbottom. Get to class!"

Neville nodded and left at once.

"The cloak!" Hermione fretted "Do we have the cloak?"

"I thought you had it." Snape said blankly.

"I don't have it, I though you had it!" Hermione cried frantically as the sound of students descending into the dungeons was heard.

"Why would I have it you stupid girl!?" Snape snapped at her "Potter is your friend, you should be more responsible with his belongings!"

Hermione stared at Snape in dismay.

Suddenly, the sound of running footsteps made them look up from their argument to see Draco running towards them with the silvery invisibility cloak in his hands.

"You…you left this…at lunch!" He gasped staggering to a halt in front of them and throwing the cloak at Snape.

"Draco you are amazing!" Hermione cried with relief, throwing herself at him to hug him in her joy.

There was a bang and a lot of smoke and a yelp as Draco was thrown several feet back and landed hard on his rear on the stone floor of the corridor, smoke coming from his hair which was sticking out in all directions and his robes torn.

He sat looking mildly shocked for a moment before looking up at Hermione.

"Oh I'm sorry!" Hermione wailed. "I forgot about that stupid shield!"

Snape looked like he was suppressing a laugh but said nothing.

"That's…that's alright my love." Draco said wincing as he got to his feet and touched his smouldering hair. "Nothing that some sleekeasy can't fix."

"Class Miss Granger." Snape said giving Hermione a little push in the direction of his classroom.

"See you at dinner." Hermione said sadly as she covered herself with the invisibility cloak.

"Until then my love." Draco said looking yearningly at the spot where she had vanished from sight.

The rest of the school day seemed twice as long to Hermione and Snape, and both were very relieved as the bell for the end of classes rang.

"We need to figure out what the cure is before tomorrow!" Hermione said tiredly as she and Snape walked wearily to the great hall for dinner.

"Indeed." Snape agreed. "Today was far too tiring to repeat – oof!"

Something small had collided with Snape with a squeak.

"Sorry Professor Snape!" squeaked a tiny first year boy.

"Watch where you are going boy!" Snape barked irritably. "Ten points from Ravenclaw for getting under my feet!"

The boy looked crestfallen as he watched Snape stalk away from him, Hermione trailing along behind him trying to look as though she was there by chance.

They took their usual places at their respective tables and began dinner.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco spoke in hushed tones, discussing what the object could possibly be.

"It's impossible." Hermione said bursting into tears suddenly.

Draco looked alarmed. "Don't cry my sweet!" he pleaded. "I can't stand it when you cry!"

"Sorry, it's just that it seems so hopeless!" Hermione sobbed. "I'm going to be stuck like this forever!"

"No…no you won't Mione!" Harry soothed. "We'll figure it out if it takes all night!"

Ron nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Thanks you guys." Hermione sniffed, wiping her eyes on her sleeves.

Suddenly, a small piece of parchment fluttered down in front of her.

She looked around and saw Dumbledore give her a little wink.

"Who's that from?" Ron asked with a frown.

"Dumbledore I think." Hermione answered unfolding the parchment to read the note. She read it quickly and put it away.

"He wants us all to meet him in his office after dinner to continue discussion of the cure." She informed her companions.

"Well let's eat fast then, the sooner we find the cure the better!" Ron said grabbing his fork and shoveling food into his mouth.

Draco looked disdainfully at him. "Just because we are in a hurry, does not give you license to eat like a pig!"

Ron glared at him, his cheeks full of mashed potato.

Everyone ate quickly however, and with rather aching stomachs, they made their way to Dumbledore's office.

"Has anyone come up with anymore ideas as to what this mysterious object might be?" Dumbledore asked the group as he poured tea for them all.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Alas, neither have I." Dumbledore said with a sigh. "We must focus, I believe, on what the qualities of the object in question are. What is the most important quality in the object we are so desperately seeking?"

There was a brief silence before Harry spoke. "That it's evil matches the evil of the magic that created the marriage. In other words, something that is just as evil as Voldemort himself."

"Exactly Harry, well done." Dumbledore replied.

"That's a lot of evil!" Ron remarked.

"Indeed…now, let us be pensive for a moment, focusing on evil objects and see what we come up with." Dumbledore suggested.

They all sat silently thinking of what objects might rival Voldemort's capacity for evil.

After ten minutes or so, Dumbledore broke the silence.

"Severus, I heard you had some trouble with Peeves today."

Snape looked up with a mildly annoyed expression at having been distracted from his train of thought.

"Yes, he had gotten us cornered with a bunch of that cursed Mistletoe you so lovingly bestowed upon us and was threatening to trap Miss Granger, myself and Mr Longbottom beneath it!" Snape answered waspishly. "I really think Peeves should be sent away from the castle headmaster, he's becoming too much of a handful!"

"Yes…Professor McGonnigal complained yesterday that he was being most disrespectful to her." Dumbledore mused. "Perhaps I should have a word with him. Did Mr Longbottom survive? He is of such a nervous disposition."

"Only just." Snape snorted "However, he managed to kill the mistletoe before Peeves could use it, sparing us the torture he had planned for us."

"Where is Mr Longbottom? He rushed away from dinner so quickly." Dumbledore asked curiously.

"In my potions room I hope, destroying the last of that accursed plant." Snape said briskly. "Then we will be free of it."

"I'm telling you, pure evil that plant!" Ron said shaking his head. "Made my mind up when it made me kiss Pansy Parkinson!"

Suddenly, it was like a light had gone on.  
Everyone's mouths hung open and they stared around at each other before bolting for the door, abandoning their Earl Gray tea in their haste to quit the room.

They ran full pelt towards the dungeons, Dumbledore jogging along beside them, surprisingly agile and fast for a man his age.

Students leapt out of their way as the group flew through the corridors and gaped after them.

They flew down the entrance hall staircase, just managing not to fall headlong down it, and hurried down the steps into the dungeons where they hurried along the corridor before skidding to a halt outside Snape's classroom.

Snape threw the door open to reveal Neville standing on a chair, his spray bottle poised to eradicate a sprig of mistletoe.

"NEVILLE!" Harry, Ron and Hermione bellowed at the same time as Snape and Draco yelled "LONGBOTTOM!!"

"Oh, hello! This is the last one!" Neville said cheerfully before turning back to the mistletoe.

"NO!!" They all yelled at once as Neville sprayed the mistletoe.


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: Well despite unpleasant happenings regarding the theft and plagerism of my stories...here is the final chapter of Curse Of The Mistletoe! Do forgive if it is not all what you anticipated it would be. It has been a long time since I wrote any Harry Potter fanfiction, but nevertheless, here it is and I do hope you enjoy it despite it's flaws.

Lots of love,

Hedw1g. x

P.S. I borrowed a line from Black Adder…:P

Neville stared at them all, frozen with his arm holding the spray bottle poised beside the wilted and now dead mistletoe.

"LONGBOTTOM YOU IDIOT!" Snape roared.

"Professor, he wasn't to know!" Hermione cried, grasping Snape's arm and struggling to hold him back as he made to attack Neville.

Shocked, Neville fell off the chair he'd been standing on, and scrambled up, back against the wall in his haste to put some distance between the irate Professor and himself.

"Wh…what did I do?" Neville gasped, goggling up at them all.

"Neville, was that really the last sprig of mistletoe in the entire castle?" Hermione asked in a trembling voice as Dumbledore restrained Snape with his wand.

"Y…yes." Neville replied, looking positively terrified as Snape snarled and thrashed against the invisible bonds that held him back.

"You're absolutely sure?" Dumbledore asked sternly.

Neville looking bewildered nodded.

Hermione burst into tears, falling to her knees on the stone floor, her face in her hands.

Harry and Ron made to comfort her but Draco threw out an arm to stop them.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I almost died earlier today trying to do just that." He informed them.

"Oh yeah, the charm." Ron said frowning in frustration.

"Severus, calm down!" Dumbledore told Snape who was by now frothing at the mouth.

"Oh God I wish I was dead!" Hermione moaned.

"Its not that bad!" Came a morose voice.

They all turned to see Moaning Myrtle hovering cross-legged above the sink in the far corner of the potions room.

"What did you say?" Hermione said tearfully.

"Its not that bad." Myrtle repeated. "Being dead that is. Most people think it's a bad thing, but it's really not all that bad." She went on, picking at a spot on her chin.

"How did she get in here?" Ron squawked suddenly.

"Through the taps of the sink I think." Harry replied gesturing at the taps.

"What are you crying about anyway?" Myrtle went on sounding offended that Hermione was crying so hard. "You aren't dead!"

"I thought you said it wasn't all that bad being dead!" Draco said with some confusion.

"And she has a very good reason to be crying!" Ron put in to Hermione's defense.

"And what's that?" Myrtle asked curiously.

"She's married to HIM!" Everyone but Snape and Neville chorused, pointing at Snape.

Neville's jaw dropped and his eyes darted in disbelief between Hermione and Snape.

"Then it's true?" he gasped.

"Married?" Myrtled gasped. "But she's a student!"  
"Yeah? Tell that to Voldemort!" Draco spat.

"What, that ugly old git who thinks he's lord of the universe?" Myrtle enquired mildly.

Apparently everyone was too stunned to say anything so Myrtle went on.

"So why so upset about it now? Talk about crying over spilt potion!" she paused to chuckle at her own joke. "Did you see what I did there?" She giggled "I said that phrase about spilt potion and we're in the potions room! You're married to the Potions master…get it? Never mind, humour is obviously lost on you lot."

"It's no wonder she didn't have any friends." Ron muttered to Harry and Draco.

"I heard that!" Myrtle snapped glaring icily at Ron. "Anyway, you didn't answer my question…why are you so upset about it now?"

"Because we think we've found a way to end the marriage and Neville just destroyed the last of the cure!" Harry answered.

Hermione sobbed louder.

Neville paled. "I…I'm so sorry!" He gasped to Hermione. "I didn't know!"

"That's alright Neville," Harry said comfortingly, "We didn't figure it out until five minutes ago."

"Hey wait!" Draco said suddenly, spinning around to face Dumbledore. "You are the one who cursed the mistletoe in the first place right?"

Dumbledore looked rather sheepish, but graced Draco with an answer. "Yes, yes I did. And I'm jolly well sorry I did I can tell you!"

"Well…can't you just curse some more?" Draco asked.

Everyone turned with renewed hope to look at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's eyes darted around them all. "Alas, I'm afraid I cannot."

"WHY?" Came the demanding chorus.

"Because cursing the mistletoe was a mistake in the first place! It happened by accident so-to-speak. I originally intended to merely charm the plant to play romantic music whenever anyone walked beneath it…alas, I fudged that charm and the cursed mistletoe was created. And still I cannot remember what I did wrong to curse it! So you see, I cannot make another cursed mistletoe."

Snape looked as though he'd just obtained and lost an order of merlin 1st class in a matter of moments.

Hermione let out an anguished wail and resumed sobbing hysterically.

Harry and Ron looked very let down and Draco looked like a deflated balloon.

"We're in the stickiest situation since sticky the stick insect got stuck on a sticky bun!" Draco said scowling.

Dumbledore chuckled but stopped when everyone looked at him accusingly.

"Sorry, I just thought that was a funny thing to say." He murmured.

Snape snorted, "Oh yes most amusing in our predicament! If nothing else works, a total pigheaded unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through!"

Dumbledore chuckled again before hastily straightening his face into a solemn look again.

"Sorry, that was rather funny too…I'll just shut up now."

Everyone let out a collective sigh.

Suddenly, Hermione's expression changed to one of dawning.

"Till death do us part." She said softly.

"What?" Snape said sharply.

"Till death do us part, professor!" Hermione repeated. "The vow can only be broken if one of us dies!"

"Well don't look at me!" Snape stated grousily.

Hermione got to her feet and moved morosely to the door.

"Where are you going 'Mione?" Ron enquired.

"To throw myself off of Gryffindor Tower." Came the despairing reply.

"Mione c'mon, we'll figure something out!" Harry said comfortingly.

"No, Harry, it's no use. Only death can end this…we can't expect Professor Snape to throw himself off of Gryffindor Tower."

"I wouldn't be caught dead throwing myself off of Gryffindor Tower." Snape grunted moodily.

"I rest my case." Hermione said bowing out. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and kill myself."

Snape watched her get closer to the door.

"Mione don't be ridiculous!" Harry said firmly.

"Here I go." Hermione said morosely.

"Alright then." Snape said.

"Nothing left to live for." Hermione went on, moving slowly for the door.

"Bye bye." Snape said.

"No other choice but to cut my young life short on account of an evil overlord with a cheek to think he's smart in anyway shape or form…"

"Are you going or not?" Snape asked.

"Almost there…" Hermione sighed approaching the door.

Snape sighed irritably. "I'm going to have to do the right thing here, aren't I…very well. For Merlin's sake get out of the way girl, I'll do it. It's not like I have anything to live for anyway. No-one to care if I die…" Snape snapped, pushing past her.

No-one moved to stop him. Hermione went after him, though not by choice.

"Wait, I forgot about the spell!" She was heard yelping down the corridor.

Neville burst into tears.

"It's all so sad! He's so alone!" he blubbed.

"Easy Neville." Ron said bracingly.

"Severus, don't be so dramatic!" Dumbledore cried after Snape who swept from the potions room. "We'd better go and stop him. He's determined enough to do it you know."

Everyone heaved a sigh and went after him.

The saw the end of his robes vanishing around the corner at the top of the stairs leading up to the entrance hall and hurried up after him.

"Gods, Snape can move fast when he wants to!" Ron panted as they hurried up the entrance hall staircase.

Snape seemed to stay just far enough ahead of them to seem close but they never got any closer than that. Poor Hermione was being dragged along behind him, struggling to stay on her feet.

"It'll be all that dodging exploding potions." Dumbledore remarked breathlessly.

"Are you alright Proffessor?" Harry asked, hurrying alongside the Headmaster.

"Fine, Harry, fine." Dumbledore answered. "Not as young as I used to be."

They hurried on, catching sight of Snape's robes whipping around the corner at the entrance to the south tower.

They hurried up the steps and emerged out into the open air.

Snape stood peering down over the battlements.

"Severus, don't be a fool!" Dumbledore called. "There must be another way."

"There isn't, headmaster. You know very well there isn't!"

"True, but…look on the bright side!"

"What bright side?" Snape cried. "There isn't a bloody bright side! I'm to be saddled with this know-it-all for the rest of my life? I'd rather die!"

"You can't jump!" Draco cried, "You'll kill Hermione!"

Just then, Dean popped his head around the doorway.

"What's going on?" he asked Ron, who was next to the door watching anxiously.

"Snape's going to throw himself off the tower." He told Dean.

Suddenly, music started up and everyone looked around for its source.

"What's that?" Neville asked.

"III sequence, no.6 Lacrimosa." Dean answered at once, his wand held aloft.

Everyone turned to stare at him.

"What?" He said defensively. "It's a tragic and dramatic moment. If Snape's going to do this, he might as well do it right!"

They continued to stare at Dean.

"Oh all right." Dean said moodily, stopping the music. "No culture…" He muttered as he went back into the tower and down the stairs.

Ron shook his head incredulously as he turned back to look at everyone else.

"Severus, really don't be so ridiculous!" Dumbledore pleaded as Snape stepped up onto the top of the battlements.

"Don't try to stop me!" Snape snapped. "None of you care. All you care about is her!"  
"We do care, Professor!" Harry said after Dumbledore nudged him meaningfully. "Really we do. Really. Honestly."

Snape did not look convinced.

"Ow!" Ron whispered as Dumbledore cuffed him on the back of the head.

"Yeah," he said glaring at Dumbledore a moment. "We don't want you to snuff it, Professor Snape! Who would yell at us in Potions? I mean, where's the fun if you aren't there to belittle us and make us feel like worthless, brainless worms?"

Dumbledore leaned down to whisper in Ron's ear.

"Not quite what I had in mind young Weasley."

"Sorry, it's all I can think of." Ron replied.

"I don't live to entertain you lot, you insufferable, whiny, malodorous little pleb." Snape snapped at Ron. "Now shut up, I'm trying to concentrate.

"Concentrate on what? All you have to do is step off the –" Draco began logically but Harry slapped a hand over his mouth.

Draco was silenced.

"Can't you say something constructive?" Harry hissed. "To make him come down from there? Otherwise you lose Hermione!

"Of course I can you dolt!" Draco said after Harry had let his mouth go.

Draco turned to Snape.

"Uncle Severus." He said stepping forward. "I don't want you to top yourself. I mean, I'd miss you. My mother would miss you…and potions certainly wouldn't be the same without you. Hogwarts wouldn't be the same without you for that matter!"

"Yeah, Professor. Who would we all dread every day? It's just no fun without a teacher to dread every day." Ron said honestly. "Sure we all act like we despise you, but really, we like you just the way you are! Alive and stuff."

Snape's lip curled in a sneer. "Well I'm sorry to have to disappoint you all." He said sarcastically before he turned and did the unthinkable taking Hermione, screaming, with him.

They all screamed and rushed forward.

"Severus!" Dumbledore gasped as they all watched Snape plummet toward the ground in a swirl of black robes.

"HERMIONE!" Draco, Harry and Ron cried.

"He did it! He actually did it!" Ron shouted as Snape disappeared from view through a low lying cloud.

"You could have stopped him falling Professor!" Harry cried at Dumbledore.

"No, Harry, I could not have stopped him." Dumbledore said quietly.

"Why not!" Harry demanded.

"Because," Dumbledore said tearing up. "I forgot my wand!"

Harry stared at the blubbing headmaster in disbelief.

"It's in the potions room!" Dumbledore explained, wiping his tears away with his huge purple silk handkerchief with yellow stars.

"Oh, Severus." Dumbledore said mournfully, stepping back away from the battlements.

Shocked and perplexed, they all made their way back down the tower

"Something hot and sweet to drink I think is in order. I'll take care of the…well I'll have my people…I'll deal with the rest." Dumbledore said as they trooped gloomily down to the entrance hall.

Just then, the doors were thrown open and there, stomping angrily through the door, covered with what appeared to be the previous day's dinner scraps and a good number of other such unpleasant things, was…

"Professor Snape! Hermione!"

"Severus!"

"Bloody Hell! MIONE!"

Neville fainted.

"You're alive!" Dumbledore said elatedly rushing forward to greet the potions master and best student.

"Yes, so it would seem." Snape groused picking a banana peel off of his shoulder between a forefinger and thumb.

"Well aren't you relieved and happy about it?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not particularly, no." Snape replied moodily.

"Why not?" Harry asked "You cheated death! Hermione you're alive!"

"You wouldn't be too happy either, Potter, if you were all prepared to meet your maker and suddenly found yourself in a rubbish heap!" Snape grumbled.

"It was so gross!" Hermione wailed.

"Rubbish hea…oh!" Dumbledore said suddenly remembering something "That's what I forgot to do before the summer holiday's! I knew there was something I forgot to do before I left the castle. I forgot to have the Castles refuse vanished. I forget it every year, you'd think I'll learn to remember it by now!" Dumbledore said shaking his head. "Is it so very big, Severus?"

"It's top sits currently about halfway up the tower." Snape replied through clenched teeth.

Ron held his nose.

"Incidently, while I was falling, a thought struck me."  
"Oh how clever of you Severus. To be able to think while plummeting to one's death." Dumbledore said admiringly. I certainly wouldn't have been able to do that…then again, I can't think clearly at the best of times these days…just look at the castle's refuse pile for example!"

"Anyway…" Snape said pointedly. "As I was falling, a thought struck me. Where does everything we in this castle vanish go exactly?.

He was answered by mostly blank stares save for one.

"It all goes to the castle's rubbish tip!" Hermione said "But I don't see what…oh!"

Snape nodded. "Precisely Miss Granger."

"I don't get it." Ron said dimly.

Hermione sighed. "It's really quite simple, Ron. Professor Snape just explained it."

Ron frowned. "No he didn't."

"He did!" Harry said suddenly catching on. "Everything that we vanish goes to the Castle's refuse pile…the mistletoe!"

"Does it?" Draco said, surprised. "I didn't know that. I thought it went to some other dimension or other."

"No, Draco, it has to go somewhere where muggles can't get at it." Dumbledore explained.

"You were acting like you didn't know that's where everything went!" Draco said accusingly.

"I simply forgot that fact, young Draco." Dumbledore said patting Draco on the head affectionately.

"Muggles can get at our vanished stuff in another dimension?" Ron wondered aloud.

"For goodness sake Ron, focus!" Hermione said irritably.

"There's just one problem with that…" Neville said rather remorsefully.

Everyone looked at him.

"I didn't vanish the mistletoe. I dissolved it." Neville explained.

"I don't think it made any difference to the Castle's discerning it as magically getting rid of something we no longer want here…" Snape said simply reaching into his robes.

"Is that why you ended up in the rubbish pile?" Ron asked quite innocently.

Snape sent a glare his way that would've wilted even the mistletoe had he thought to do so.

"No." Snape replied bluntly. "But it is why this did." He took his hand out of his robes and produced a sprig of the cursed (and now much coveted) mistletoe!

"YES! YES!" Hermione screamed in wild abandon, throwning her arms around Snape's neck and hugged him tight before giving his cheek a kiss.

"Steady on Mione!" Ron chuckled.

"Well done Professor!" Harry cried thoroughly impressed.

"Severus, you little devil!" Dumbledore praised slapping Snape on the back.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Draco cried throwing himself at Snape's legs and hugging them.

"Yes yes, alright." Snape said shoving them all off. "The next question is, where do we go from here?"

"You get under it with Mione, snog, and the whole thing's over!" Ron answered.

"I don't mean what do we do now, Weasley, I mean where do we go to do this unspeakable act!"

"Alright, keep your hair on." Ron mumbled.

"My office I think would be best." Dumbledore suggested lightly.

They turned and hurried off up the grand staircase again and up to Dumbledore's office.

Once there, Dumbledore put up his 'do not disturb, genius at work' sign on the door.

"Severus, if you would be so kind." Dumbledore said pointing at the ceiling.

Snape took the mistletoe in one hand and his wand in the other and levitated it up to just above his head and there it stayed while he handed his wand to Dumbledore so that the Headmaster could keep the mistletoe suspended there.

"Ready Miss Granger?" Snape enquired.

"Ready as ever, Professor." Hermione replied stepping under the offending plant.

The magic still worked, they were very glad to note as they felt it take effect.

Snape and Hermione leaned in toward each other.

Suddenly the door flew open and Tonks hurried in waving a pair of white boxer shorts with red hearts on them.

"We've got it! We've got the object- WHOA!" she cried, gaping at Snape and Hermione.

The rest of the order piled in behind her just in time to witness the main event!

Snape's lips met Hermione's and there was a bright flash, a clap of thunder that seemed to resonate within the room and everyone jumped.

"Ignore it, its just the castle doing it's dramatic thing…lighting and thunderclaps whenever anything significant or major takes place magically speaking." Dumbledore explained nonchalantly.

"Did it work?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"I don't know." Snape replied. "Lets find out."

He turned and walked to the door, opened it and walked down the steps.

Hermione remained in place.

She burst into relieved tears.

"It appears to have worked!" Snape said, his face breaking into the first smile anyone had ever seen that was a genuine smile and not just an evil or smile of forboding.

Everyone cheered.

Suddenly, an owl arrived at the window. Dumbledore went and let it in.

It dropped and envelope on Snape's head and he caught it as it fell down his front.

"What is it Severus?" Dumbledore asked.

"It's from the Ministry Of Magic." Snape said opening the seal and envelope. He took out the letter within and read aloud.

"To Professor Severus Snape, and Mrs Hermione Snape,

The Ministry of Magic hereby acknowledges the annulment of your recent marriage, and encourages you both to seriously consider your respective decisions regarding marriage in the future before agreeing to them.

Sincerely,

Hilda brightwater. Department of magical marriages, annulments and Divorces.

"It's over!" Hermione cried, tears of relief pouring down her face.

Draco rushed to her and held her close. "My darling Hermione!"

Everyone courteously looked away as a long overdue kiss ensued.

They broke apart and hugged again.

"So what's with the boxers, Tonks?" Harry asked curiously.

"These?" Tonks said holding up the boxers. "We thought these would be the object needed to break the marriage."

"What?" Ron sputtered "I suggested Harry's pants ages ago!"

"Ah, but these aren't Harry's pants." Tonks said cheerfully. "They're Voldemort's pants."  
"How did you get them?"

"Snuck into his room while he was out shopping for socks last night. Did you know he takes his whole squad of deatheaters with him when he shops? Leaves the castle completely unguarded."

"Just when you thought he couldn't get any dumber!" Harry remarked.

"Well all's well that ends well." Dumbledore sighed contentedly.

"There is just one more thing I'd like to do Headmaster." Snape said lightly, picking up and envelope from Dumbledore's desk.

Everyone watched as Snape wrote Voldemort's name on the envelope and plucked the mistletoe from where it hung in the air before dropping it into the envelope and sealing it with his wand.

Dumbledore stopped him before Snape could give it to Dumbledore's owl and, taking Snape's wand, whispered and incantation as he waved the wand over the enveloped mistletoe.

Snape and Dumbledore exchanged a smirk.

He then let Snape proceed to give it to the owl for delivery.

They all watched the owl fly off into the sunset.

"What was that spell you cast over the mistletoe Professor?" Harry asked Dumbledore curiously.

"Let us just say, Harry, that when Voldemort opens that envelope, he will find his own castle infested with a cursed Mistletoe that will have the death eaters on very good terms with one another."

Harry grinned.

"Nice one Professor."

THE END


End file.
